TRANSCRIPT:
As a U.S. diplomat primarily in countries with a strong VOA presence — Yugoslavia, Poland and the former Soviet Union, Turkmenistan and Moldova — all these countries during the Cold War had strong Moscow-driven media which put America constantly under attack. And yet, folks continued to listen and continued to resist their communist regimes and consider the United States the shining city on the hill. VOA gave them hope and it still does.
Americans should care that our adversaries continue to receive unbiased information on U.S. policies and policies of their own countries. Otherwise, populations in Iran, Russia, China, South America, and around the world only receive propaganda from government media. Silencing VOA cedes the information wars to foreign adversaries and government propaganda. In Russia, local populations will only hear how Ukraine is a fake state and that Russia is winning. In Iran, citizens will only hear how Iran, the successor to the great Persian Empire, is entitled to nuclear weapons. In Serbia, a beleaguered population will only hear how Serbs were victims in the Balkan Wars.
VOA impacts our local politics. Most of our diaspora still receive information in their native language from their home governments. They need alternative sources to counter the relentless stream of anti-American news. Please contact your representatives and urge them to restore funding to Voice of America. Why sacrifice the world’s goodwill that VOA has done so much to build?
Published
Brush is a retired U.S. diplomat who served as the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Moldova. Her career also included senior roles in Turkmenistan, Serbia and Kosovo.