Biased Media reporting;
It is a shame that as a society we tolerate these events, and it is a greater shame that the media flaunts if the involved is a Muslim.
This week, at least 10 Pregnant women were shot all over the world, including one in Iran, you can guess which item was most publicized in the News papers in America? Google them you find it.
If you are weak at heart - please do not open this immediate link, it is too graphic
http://taptaan.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post_4495.html
You can read the following;
Pregnant woman thrown out of train, dies
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/20/stories/2009062056521200.htm
Lucknow: A pregnant woman died and her three-year-old daughter injured when they were allegedly thrown out of a running train by two constables of the Government Railway Police in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.
GRP constables Ram Singh and Sudhir Singh have been arrested for the incident that took place on Thursday, official sources said here on Friday. Dinesh Kumar boarded the Mailani-Gonda passenger train along with his wife Kavita and their child.
Mr. Dinesh had an altercation with the constables who allegedly demanded money from him as he was carrying a cycle in the train, they said. Later, the GRP personnel allegedly threw Kavita and her daughter out of the train at a place 180 km from here. — PTI
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=RSSFeed-India&id=0a233a4c-536d-4d1c-8862-5f40c56a03b7&Headline=Pregnant+woman+thrown+out+of+train%2c+dies+on+the+spot
________________________________
Pregnant Woman Shot To Death While Calling 911 - Houston News ...
Pregnant Woman Shot To Death While Calling 911. Husband Charged With Murder In Wife's Death. POSTED: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 ...
www.click2houston.com/news/5689238/detail.html
Bangkok Post : Pregnant schoolteacher shot to death
Jun 4, 2009 ... NARATHIWAT : Insurgents have brutally shot dead a pregnant woman as ... but also all the death and killed people in the south should be ...www.bangkokpost.com/.../pregnant-schoolteacher-shot-to-death -
Abortionist Dr. George Tiller Shot to Death at Church on Sunday ...
May 31, 2009 ... Abortionist George Tiller was shot to death around 10:00 am Sunday, ... relieve "temporary depression" in pregnant women and for reportedly ...
www.associatedcontent.com/.../abortionist_dr_george_tiller_shot_to.html -
Monday, June 22, 2009
Free Press - New York Times
Old, but so true even today - maybe even more so!
John Swinton, the former Chief of Staff at the NEW YORK TIMES
Asked to give a toast before the prestigious New York Press Club in 1953, John Swinton, the former Chief of Staff at the NEW YORK TIMES, made this candid confession [it's worth noting that Swinton was called "The Dean of His Profession" by other newsmen, who admired him greatly]:
"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinions out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job.
"If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone. The business of the journalist is to destroy the truth; to lie outright; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell the country for his daily bread. You know it and I know it and what folly is this toasting an independent press. We are the tools and vassals of the rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."
#
John Swinton, the former Chief of Staff at the NEW YORK TIMES
Asked to give a toast before the prestigious New York Press Club in 1953, John Swinton, the former Chief of Staff at the NEW YORK TIMES, made this candid confession [it's worth noting that Swinton was called "The Dean of His Profession" by other newsmen, who admired him greatly]:
"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinions out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job.
"If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone. The business of the journalist is to destroy the truth; to lie outright; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell the country for his daily bread. You know it and I know it and what folly is this toasting an independent press. We are the tools and vassals of the rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."
#
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The truth about 9/11 and the essence of Freedom
http://mediamuddles.blogspot.com/2009/06/truth-about-911-and-essence-of-freedom.html
The Essence of Freedom
Mike Ghouse, Dallas
The essence of freedom is our ability to question; question everything including our belief and what our government dishes out for us to believe.
Many of us do not want to know the truth about 9/11 or simply write it off us a conspiracy theory, meanwhile the multiplier effect of our silence continues to wreak havoc on American families. You may not be a victim of the bad economy, but some one you know may be struggling these days to make ends meet.
It is time for us to see another point of view, there is a smoking gun out there and we need to know the truth. Evil will continue to flourish, if we don’t do anything about it.
Our Media has failed us, they never had the balls to ask tough questions to the President and his gang, they were afraid to question lest they be called unpatriotic. Indeed, their irresponsibility has caused us so much grief and has ruined our financial institutions and finally has hurt the average American.
I am glad even the Neocon outfits like Fox has displayed this event on their calendar along with the other TV, Print and Radio outlets in Dallas.
Neocon is a general term used to mean extremist Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus or others. They do not have the capacity to dialogue or see another point of view. Their version of peace is annihilation of those who differ with them. We the average Americans have shamelessly let them represent us with different religious labels. Jesus, Allah or Yahweh would not approve any of their actions. Their actions have nothing to do with the religion they claim to represent; a bad Muslim is a bad guy and a bad Jew is a bad guy and a bad Christian is a bad guy too.
Neocons will frighten you or label you as anti-American if you seek the truth. The difference between conservatives and Neocons is simple; conservatives want strong national defense to keep our nation safe, where as the Neocons want a strong national defense, but with the ill-intention of threatening other nations. They end up messing others as much as they mess us up, that has been their record. They can't get the idea that you cannot be secure and safe if you keep messing with others. These guys pretend to be conservative but their values are based on extremism.
The other evil idea that Neocons propagate is that they are the sole defenders of the nation, heck what do they know? They don’t even understand the polls, the American Public, including the Moderate Republicans were crying out loud, but what did McCain and Palin campaign? They continued to augur hatred and chaos instead of peace and security of our nation.
We need to take the responsibility to at least explore the truth. Our Media has failed us, they never had the balls to ask tough questions to the President and his gang, they were afraid to question lest they be called unpatriotic. Indeed, their irresponsibility has caused us so much grief and has ruined our financial institutions and finally has hurt the average American. Every American is as patriotic as they are and our patriotism means creating peace to us and to others and their version is creating chaos for every one, they are motivated by fear.
I urge you to see the movie, buy the ticket and think about the good you can do for our nation in the long haul.
Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer, Moderator and a Blogger on Pluralism, Interfaith, civil societies, Terrorism, Peace, Islam, and India. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television networks offering a pluralistic perspective on issues of the day. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website http://www.mikeghouse.net/
# # #
The following posting comes from Tom Theimer with North Texans for 9/11 Truth posts the following;
WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11: Building 7 - Gone in 7 spacer
You can see a tidbit of the promotion here: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2744396/
The Essence of Freedom
Mike Ghouse, Dallas
The essence of freedom is our ability to question; question everything including our belief and what our government dishes out for us to believe.
Many of us do not want to know the truth about 9/11 or simply write it off us a conspiracy theory, meanwhile the multiplier effect of our silence continues to wreak havoc on American families. You may not be a victim of the bad economy, but some one you know may be struggling these days to make ends meet.
It is time for us to see another point of view, there is a smoking gun out there and we need to know the truth. Evil will continue to flourish, if we don’t do anything about it.
Our Media has failed us, they never had the balls to ask tough questions to the President and his gang, they were afraid to question lest they be called unpatriotic. Indeed, their irresponsibility has caused us so much grief and has ruined our financial institutions and finally has hurt the average American.
I am glad even the Neocon outfits like Fox has displayed this event on their calendar along with the other TV, Print and Radio outlets in Dallas.
Neocon is a general term used to mean extremist Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus or others. They do not have the capacity to dialogue or see another point of view. Their version of peace is annihilation of those who differ with them. We the average Americans have shamelessly let them represent us with different religious labels. Jesus, Allah or Yahweh would not approve any of their actions. Their actions have nothing to do with the religion they claim to represent; a bad Muslim is a bad guy and a bad Jew is a bad guy and a bad Christian is a bad guy too.
Neocons will frighten you or label you as anti-American if you seek the truth. The difference between conservatives and Neocons is simple; conservatives want strong national defense to keep our nation safe, where as the Neocons want a strong national defense, but with the ill-intention of threatening other nations. They end up messing others as much as they mess us up, that has been their record. They can't get the idea that you cannot be secure and safe if you keep messing with others. These guys pretend to be conservative but their values are based on extremism.
The other evil idea that Neocons propagate is that they are the sole defenders of the nation, heck what do they know? They don’t even understand the polls, the American Public, including the Moderate Republicans were crying out loud, but what did McCain and Palin campaign? They continued to augur hatred and chaos instead of peace and security of our nation.
We need to take the responsibility to at least explore the truth. Our Media has failed us, they never had the balls to ask tough questions to the President and his gang, they were afraid to question lest they be called unpatriotic. Indeed, their irresponsibility has caused us so much grief and has ruined our financial institutions and finally has hurt the average American. Every American is as patriotic as they are and our patriotism means creating peace to us and to others and their version is creating chaos for every one, they are motivated by fear.
I urge you to see the movie, buy the ticket and think about the good you can do for our nation in the long haul.
Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer, Moderator and a Blogger on Pluralism, Interfaith, civil societies, Terrorism, Peace, Islam, and India. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television networks offering a pluralistic perspective on issues of the day. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website http://www.mikeghouse.net/
# # #
The following posting comes from Tom Theimer with North Texans for 9/11 Truth posts the following;
WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11: Building 7 - Gone in 7 spacer
You can see a tidbit of the promotion here: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2744396/
WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11: Building 7 -
Gone in 7 spacer
Buy Tickets
Saturday July 11, 2009
Plano - Conference Center at Collin College, Spring Creek Campus
2800 E Spring Creek PkwyPlano, Texas 75074 Get Directions
"WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11:
Building 7 - Gone in 7"Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 11th for a landmark, all day event entitled "WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11: Building 7 - Gone in 7". A vast array of the very best documentary films will be screened in different theatres throughout the entire day. There will be 9/11 exhibits, special guest presentations, scientific articles, government documents, and experts on hand for Q&A.
Special guests include Lt Col Bob Bowman, one of the country's foremost authorities on national security and past director of the Star Wars Program.Expect to see tons of compelling, explosive film and video footage which most Americans have never seen, due to a virtual media blackout.Expect to find out "WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT 9/11". With your DAY PASS, 'Come and Go' from 10am-10pm to the Film Theatres of your choice. Don't miss this dynamic event held at the Conference Center which is located at the Spring Creek Campus of Collin County Community College in Plano, TX.For more information visit http://www.711911.webs.com/ or http://www.building7symposium.webs.com/
function displaySpecial(desc)
Ticket Info: $10 donation includes ALL DAY PASS and Free DVD film
Buy Tickets Website: http://www.711911.webs.com/
http://www.northtexas911truth.com/
Cindy Sheehan... http://www.911blogger.com/node/20348
Here are a few places where the event is currently displayed.
- FOX 4 - http://community2.myfoxdfw.com/_60seconds-Dont-Miss-This-EVENT-/audio/467493/78592.html
- http://community2.myfoxdfw.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=7821119&as=78592&b=
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2744396/ - http://www.pegasusnews.com/events/2009/jul/11/148820/
- http://www.dfwinternational.org/calendar/event.php?m=200907&i=4a1d32dc1d66f
- http://thingstodo.msn.com/plano-tx/events/show/87531437-building-7-gone-in-7-what-you-are-not-supposed-to-know-about-911
- http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1155160
- http://events.linkedin.com/WHAT-ARE-NOT-SUPPOSED-KNOW-ABOUT-9-11/pub/77555
- http://www.when.com/plano-tx/events/show/87531437-building-7-gone-in-7-what-you-are-not-supposed-to-know-about-911
- http://listings.guidelive.com/plano-tx/events/show/87531437-building-7-gone-in-7-what-you-are-not-supposed-to-know-about-911
- http://www.topix.com/forum/city/plano-tx/TUCJJO61NRUPH0CRT
- http://www.oodle.com/view/WHAT-YOU-ARE-NOT-SUPPOSED-TO-KNOW-ABOUT-9-11%3A-Building-7---Gone-in-7/1405147865/usa/?k=1491a9bb84b66af4&actionMsg=1&reportCreated=1
Channel 33 http://www.the33tv.com/community/calendar/kdaf-community-94,0,3293116.htmlstory - Channel 5 http://events.nbcdfw.com/plano-tx/events/show/87531437-building-7-gone-in-7-what-you-are-not-supposed-to-know-about-911
- Channel 8 http://www.wfaa.com/membercontent/videos/gallery.html?plckGalleryID=63bdd1aa-e0be-4cf3-a895-4aaa4bd60a92
Monday, June 8, 2009
Fox Propaganda Site
It amazes me that there are few people out there who actually think Fox propaganda is the truth. Fox dudes of course cannot be called a Journalists, they are propagandist. I am glad it exists, as it assembles all the hate mongers in one place.
These guys are all about ratings and not the truth.
They dupe a few Americans well.
- Mike Ghouse
Fox Propaganda Site Goes to New Lengths to Distort Reality
By Karl Frisch
He's called former Vice President Al Gore an "evil enabler" for speaking at Netroots Nation -- an annual conference that draws thousands of progressive blog enthusiasts. He's likened Markos Moulitsas, founder of the progressive blog powerhouse Daily Kos, to white supremacist David Duke. He's even accused The Huffington Post of using the "same exact tactics that the Nazis used."
To say that Fox News golden boy Bill O'Reilly is no fan of progressive blogs is an understatement akin to claiming the Hatfields and McCoys were mildly displeased with each other.
In fact, just last week, O'Reilly hosted a panel of lawyers who attempted, in vain, to explain that the conservative host's "rights" aren't violated by private criticism.
Back in March, while promoting its newly launched website TheFoxNation.com, Fox News ran advertisements telling viewers that it was "time to say 'no' to biased media and 'yes' to fair play and free speech."
In short, Fox News was jumping headfirst into the blogging world with just the snake oil necessary to cure what ailed O'Reilly -- a fair, honest, bias-free version of what he sees the left serving up. It didn't take long for The Fox Nation to prove those fancy Fox News promos demonstrably inaccurate -- instead, it seems to have said "yes" to biased media and "no" to "fair play" from Day One.
In its first 24 hours, the website labeled Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) a "[d]angerous duo," linking to an Agence France-Presse article that simply reported that Dodd and Frank "promised President Barack Obama on Monday they would work with the White House to enact a sweeping overhaul of US financial regulatory structures by year's end."
Visitors to The Fox Nation were no doubt confused when they clicked on the link provided by the website to the AFP article in question only to find that it in no way characterized Dodd or Frank as "[d]angerous."
That was Day One. In the two months that followed the website's launch, The Fox Nation has displayed an uncanny ability to mislead readers, twist the truth, spread wild conspiracy theories, and misrepresent the reporting of legitimate journalists and media outlets.
At times, the website has been downright frightening. In early May, it ran a photo of a rifle pointed in the direction of a photo of Obama's head. The headline associated with the rifle image asked: "Why Are Gun Sales Surging?" One can only imagine what O'Reilly and his ilk would have said if a progressive blog -- or a legitimate news outlet, as Fox purports to be, for that matter -- had done the same thing to President Bush.
Debunked conspiracy theories are also finding new life on the website. A headline in late May asked: "Should Obama Release Birth Certificate? Or Is This Old News?" But contrary to the question, the Obama campaign released a copy of Obama's birth certificate, posting it on the campaign's website last year. It also reportedly provided the original document to FactCheck.org, whose staff concluded in an August 2008 post that it "meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship."
About the use of questions like the one just highlighted: In what appears to be an attempt to ward off criticism, The Fox Nation, like the on-screen text on Fox News, often employs the use of questions for its headlines rather than straightforward assertions. It's as if they are pre-emptively saying, "We made no such statement. We simply asked a question."
What has the website asked its readers? Of same-sex marriage, it wondered, "Are 'Triad' Marriages Next?" Following the reported suicide of a Freddie Mac executive, one headline asked, "Was It Suicide?" After the Department of Homeland Security declassified an April report detailing potential increases in right-wing extremism, the website queried, "Is Homeland Security Targeting Tea Parties?" Of course, these are the very same tea parties that Fox News and The Fox Nation went to great lengths promoting.
The Fox Nation has had loads of questions, especially when it comes to Obama's Supreme Court deliberations and his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The website asked, "Why Aren't White Males Being Considered for Supreme Court?" and "Is it Empathy? Or Is Obama Shredding the Constitution?" Of Obama's nominee, the website inquired, "Sotomayor Argued Death Penalty Is Racist... Is She?"
So, is TheFoxNation.com simply the seedy underbelly of Fox News parent company chairman Rupert Murdoch's evil, right-wing media empire?
Boy, that was easy, wasn't it?
© 2009 Media Matters for America All rights reserved.View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/140498/
.
These guys are all about ratings and not the truth.
They dupe a few Americans well.
- Mike Ghouse
Fox Propaganda Site Goes to New Lengths to Distort Reality
By Karl Frisch
He's called former Vice President Al Gore an "evil enabler" for speaking at Netroots Nation -- an annual conference that draws thousands of progressive blog enthusiasts. He's likened Markos Moulitsas, founder of the progressive blog powerhouse Daily Kos, to white supremacist David Duke. He's even accused The Huffington Post of using the "same exact tactics that the Nazis used."
To say that Fox News golden boy Bill O'Reilly is no fan of progressive blogs is an understatement akin to claiming the Hatfields and McCoys were mildly displeased with each other.
In fact, just last week, O'Reilly hosted a panel of lawyers who attempted, in vain, to explain that the conservative host's "rights" aren't violated by private criticism.
Back in March, while promoting its newly launched website TheFoxNation.com, Fox News ran advertisements telling viewers that it was "time to say 'no' to biased media and 'yes' to fair play and free speech."
In short, Fox News was jumping headfirst into the blogging world with just the snake oil necessary to cure what ailed O'Reilly -- a fair, honest, bias-free version of what he sees the left serving up. It didn't take long for The Fox Nation to prove those fancy Fox News promos demonstrably inaccurate -- instead, it seems to have said "yes" to biased media and "no" to "fair play" from Day One.
In its first 24 hours, the website labeled Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) a "[d]angerous duo," linking to an Agence France-Presse article that simply reported that Dodd and Frank "promised President Barack Obama on Monday they would work with the White House to enact a sweeping overhaul of US financial regulatory structures by year's end."
Visitors to The Fox Nation were no doubt confused when they clicked on the link provided by the website to the AFP article in question only to find that it in no way characterized Dodd or Frank as "[d]angerous."
That was Day One. In the two months that followed the website's launch, The Fox Nation has displayed an uncanny ability to mislead readers, twist the truth, spread wild conspiracy theories, and misrepresent the reporting of legitimate journalists and media outlets.
At times, the website has been downright frightening. In early May, it ran a photo of a rifle pointed in the direction of a photo of Obama's head. The headline associated with the rifle image asked: "Why Are Gun Sales Surging?" One can only imagine what O'Reilly and his ilk would have said if a progressive blog -- or a legitimate news outlet, as Fox purports to be, for that matter -- had done the same thing to President Bush.
Debunked conspiracy theories are also finding new life on the website. A headline in late May asked: "Should Obama Release Birth Certificate? Or Is This Old News?" But contrary to the question, the Obama campaign released a copy of Obama's birth certificate, posting it on the campaign's website last year. It also reportedly provided the original document to FactCheck.org, whose staff concluded in an August 2008 post that it "meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship."
About the use of questions like the one just highlighted: In what appears to be an attempt to ward off criticism, The Fox Nation, like the on-screen text on Fox News, often employs the use of questions for its headlines rather than straightforward assertions. It's as if they are pre-emptively saying, "We made no such statement. We simply asked a question."
What has the website asked its readers? Of same-sex marriage, it wondered, "Are 'Triad' Marriages Next?" Following the reported suicide of a Freddie Mac executive, one headline asked, "Was It Suicide?" After the Department of Homeland Security declassified an April report detailing potential increases in right-wing extremism, the website queried, "Is Homeland Security Targeting Tea Parties?" Of course, these are the very same tea parties that Fox News and The Fox Nation went to great lengths promoting.
The Fox Nation has had loads of questions, especially when it comes to Obama's Supreme Court deliberations and his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The website asked, "Why Aren't White Males Being Considered for Supreme Court?" and "Is it Empathy? Or Is Obama Shredding the Constitution?" Of Obama's nominee, the website inquired, "Sotomayor Argued Death Penalty Is Racist... Is She?"
So, is TheFoxNation.com simply the seedy underbelly of Fox News parent company chairman Rupert Murdoch's evil, right-wing media empire?
Boy, that was easy, wasn't it?
© 2009 Media Matters for America All rights reserved.View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/140498/
.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
New York Times intimidated by the Lobby
Intimidation at the New York Times: How the Israel Lobby Silenced 2 Leading Columnistsby Kitchen Table Cartoons on June 2, 2009
Thomas Friedman was once brave. This New York Times columnist and author established his reputation reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His early work gave objective accounts of the suffering of the Palestinian people, placed blame for the failed peace talks squarely on the Israeli government, and exposed the undue influence that pro-Israel lobbyists wield on policies of the U.S. government.
Then the Israel lobby went to work on him.
In July 2001, the Media Monitor of the Jewish Press put Mr. Friedman on their Enemies List. Groups like CAMERA and AIPAC castigated his reporting as being anti-Semitic. The president of the Zionist Organization of America claimed "Friedman’s language conjures up disturbing stereotypical images of Jews conspiring to manipulate world leaders and events." He was branded a "self-hating Jew."
These relentless attacks worked their desired effect.
A "re-educated" Mr. Friedman suddenly embraced the pro-Israel position to go to war with Iraq. Famously, in his column of August 18, 2002, he coached President Bush on how best to begin that war, then subsequently called the invasion of Iraq "one of the noblest things this country has ever attempted abroad." And he began denigrating the Palestinian people and their struggle for self-determination.
Today, Thomas Friedman receives $75,000 per talk to Jewish organizations. He lives in an $9 million mansion in Maryland. His change of message seems not to have hurt his career.
Columnist Frank Rich , too, once offered intelligent criticism about events in the Middle East.
Early on, he wrote about Baruch Goldstein, the Brooklyn-born settler who attacked a mosque during prayers, murdering 29 men and boys. Mr. Rich called him a Jewish terrorist for his "savage mass murder of praying Muslims " and lamented that a shrine was erected by Israelis, celebrating Goldstein as a hero. For expressing this opinion, Jewish groups pilloried Mr. Rich for being anti-Semitic and disloyal to Israel.
In his May 11, 2002 column, "The Booing of Wolfowitz ," Mr. Rich defended then Deputy-Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz for acknowledging at a large pro-Israel rally in Washington that "innocent Palestinians are suffering and dying in great numbers as well" in the Middle East. Wolfowitz, whose father’s family was killed in the Holocaust, was effectively heckled off stage and called an anti-Semite. Mr. Rich’s forthright essay rebuked such knee-jerk responses of anti-Semitism by American Jewish groups and dared to opine that right-wingers who tolerate no criticism of Israel undermine their own cause.
Predictably, these pro-Israel forces then turned on Mr. Rich and the New York Times . They threatened to boycott the paper, ceasing all advertising, even withholding Jewish death notices. Their response to Mr. Rich was more personal. He suffered a fusillade of attacks, "self-hating Jew" being their favored and highly effective calumny.
Frank Rich has learned the lesson. You will not be reading any more Baruch Goldstein or Paul Wolfowitz columns by him. Nowadays, cowed like Mr. Friedman, he toes the line, and is largely silent on Israeli-Palestinian issues. (See the following entry, "Frank Rich: Moral Hypocrisy? ")
So, am I anti-Semitic? No. I am against the Israel lobby that attempts, through intimidation (and rewards) to corrupt the critical role of the media in America — a role founded on the belief that an informed citizenry, engaged in open and public debate, is essential for our democracy. Thomas Friedman and Frank Rich are only two examples of many reporters who have been pressured to abandon their professional responsibility in covering the Middle East.
Mainstream media has failed us. America will live with the consequences
Mike's comments:
The enemies of Israel are not Palestinians or the Arabs; it is the leadership of Israel, the Israel Lobby, and a few American Neocons who are messing up the peace and security of Israel.
Mr. Pipes and his likes have not done much towards reconciliation and mitigating the conflicts, instead they are master aggravators. I hope they reconsider their approach towards peace; they may become actual contributors towards the peace and I would welcome it and the people of Israel would love them for it.
If the Netanyahu’s, the Pipes and their likes can think of the safety and security of Israel for generations to come, they would act smart. Security comes when the Israelis don’t have to think twice about going to shopping or the kids going to schools, it is dropping all the guards and living a life of freedom. The Israeli leadership like the Palestinian leadership has screwed their people over the last sixty years, and they want to continue with what has not worked? You simply cannot have peace and feel secure when you deny the same to others around you.
More on the panel of my blog:http://israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2009/06/harsh-turn-against-israel.html
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