First mention of Raed Fares on Democracy Now comes after his death

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Raed Fares

According to Democracy Now's own search facility, today's Death Notice was the first mention of Raed Fares on Democracy Now. Google's much more thorough search engine also finds nothing before today's Headlines on Democracy Now.

For those familiar with the work of this Syrian revolutionary and the civilian society protest organization he lead, Kafranbel, this will sound extraordinary, but it is a true fact, and a damning commentary on the biased way Amy Goodman and Democracy Now have represent Syrian developments since the beginning of 2011.

Banner like these made Kafranbel famous worldwide, just not on DN

We remembered his work in our own hurried post about his death last Friday, Raed Fares, leader of Kafranbel killed by HTS gunmen in Idlib, but we have been covering Fares and Kafranbel since December 2013 when he toured the United States to bring us news about the civil society side of the Syrian revolution.

Raed Fares in Los Angeles

He came to Los Angeles, and I had an opportunity to hear him speak. The event was even announced on KPFK, but I guess Amy missed it. That was five years ago. We have cover Fares and Kafranbel many times since then, as has just about anyone interested in honestly informing people about what the struggle in Syria, that has taken as many as a million lives, is all about. Clearly, that hasn't been Democracy Now. Raed Fares and Kafranbel should have had a dozen show segments by now, if DN really was an unbiased progressive outlet. Now that he is dead, its safe to talk about him, so today he finally got a HEADLINE:

Syrian Journalist Raed Fares, Who Faced Threats by Government and Rebels, Killed in Idlib
Syrian radio host and activist Raed Fares was shot dead in Idlib Friday, along with activist Hamoud Jneed. Fares founded Radio Fresh, an independent radio station broadcasting from inside opposition-held Syria. Fares joined the popular protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad in 2011. In the following years, he documented the human cost of the war in Syria, exposing rights violations and the devastation of air strikes on civilians. Fares was targeted by both the government and opposition militants. He survived previous assassination attempts, a kidnapping and torture.

That's how easily they handled his obit. They don't even mention Kafranbel. In fact, they have never mentioned Kafranbel!


So the first ever Linux Beach CYA Awards goes to Democracy Now for Wednesday's first ever mention of Raed Fares. Now we can't say Amy never mentioned him, and now that he's dead, its safe to say a few words. Democracy Now knew that if their audience saw the Syrian Revolution through Raed's eyes, they would support it, and that's the last thing Amy wants. Way to go, Democracy Now! Don't ever change. We won't be able to use this logo.

Syria is the Paris Commune of the 21st Century!

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