Glenn Reynolds on the now retracted Newsweek story about desecration of the Koran at Guantanamo Bay;
Two points: (1) If they had wrongly reported the race of a criminal and produced a lynching, they’d feel much worse — which is why they generally don’t report such things, a degree of sensitivity they don’t extend to reporting on, you know, minor topics like wars; and (2) If a blogger had made a similar mistake, with similar consequences, we’d be hearing about Big Media’s superior fact-checking and layers of editors.
People died, and U.S. military and diplomatic efforts were damaged, because — let’s be clear here — Newsweek was too anxious to get out a story that would make the Bush Administration and the military look bad.
Indeed.
So is Reuters, AFP, Powerline, NYT, WAPO and me.
I just want to hit somebody!
The most amazing thing about this is that these leftist idiots STILL don’t comprehend what they have done, and are doing!
They cost lives in Vietnam, they cost lives in virtually every conflict and stand-off since, they cost lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they will continue to cost lives.
Whatever happened to the days when people could be accountable for this stuff? Remember “loose lips sink ships” from WW2?
I am certain any minute now we will see front page headlines 3 inches tall in every major newspaper revealing Newsweek’s mistake. Also it will be on every TV newscast for the next 8 weeks. I’m also sure there will be full page editorials demanding the resignation of the Newsweek staff, condemning shoddy journalism practices and demonstrations at U.S. and Canadian journalism schools demanding investigations. . . . . any minute now . . . right away . . . . “crickets”.
Mr. Peabody – that’s just what is so sickening.
I have to agree with all of you. It’s the most infuriating thing of our time. Anyone who still thinks that the media is not left bias is dillusional.
In the US, a Journalism.org did a survey of it’s members. And guess what, only a tiny percentage considered themselves conservative.
http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/journalist_survey_prc4.asp
But then, you may want to look at it like this:
http://www.mediaright.ca/neocon/Agenda/agenda1.htm
If such a large number of US journalist are not conservative, can you imagine what it’s like in Canada… I mean Trudeaupia.
Uh…..this isn’t the first time Michael Isikoff has done this, he’s a left wing nut basket:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2005/05/newsweek-massacre.html
These families should sue newsweek out of existance.
Incredible. I’ve tried to place this into the context of broader trends in the media:
http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2005/05/15/newsweek-misreported-on-desecrated-korans/
OT – breaking news:
Small canadian jet lands in water off the coast of Atlantic city. All 4 swam to safety.
Fox News
But Newsweek said they regretted any errors – that makes it all okay.
I’m not sure what crime they could be charged with (there ought to be *something*) but if I was the next of kin of one of those who died as a result of the story I’d be talking to a lawyer about suing their asses off.
PS: Anybody with kids knows it’s impossible to flush a book down any toilet (of course that’s assuming you actually have a toilet).
Leaving aside the question “What sort of hysterical idiot riots & kills people because somebody left a book in the bathroom?” we must address the question “How did they know that an American flushed a book down the toilet?” The only way to successfully flush it down would be to tear it in small pieces in which case it would be gone, no evidence. Or we must believe that an American soldier flushed it down and then emerged from the stall proudly announcing “Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I just flushed the Koran down the toilet!” in which case he would be immediately bringing on his own punishement. …. Yeah Right. Give up Newsweek you’re assholes.
Diana, if you are sickened by the lack of media outrage at their own, I wouldn’t count on feeling better any time soon. When was the last time you read a newspaper story about a Canadian journalist being fired from his or her job for shoddy reporting? Never.
I know (sigh) … and, I live a stones throw from the delightful Carleton University School of Journalism.
You live a stone’s throw awy from a journalism school? Lucky girl. How many have you hit? 😉
Here ya go Diana,
This will take the work out of throwing them rocks:
How to Build a Catapult
http://www.trebuchet.com/plans.html
Ah, shucks. I can just tip ’em into the Rideau Canal.
I have zero sympathy for Newsweek and other irresponsible media, be it liberal or conservative. But, I also don’t have much sympathy for those who got so fluffed up over the report to put their lives at risk by running into the midst of a riot.
We should not have to tiptoe around the limitless sensitivities of Islam. The Islamists surely don’t reciprocate to any respect and tolerance shown for Islam by us Infidels. We don’t even riot when their throatslitters commit mass murder in the name of “god”. Islamists preach lies and hate and promote genocide everyday. How is it that Muslims are not expected to respond more responsibly to one anonymously-sourced reported incident of descecration of a BOOK???
OT
Very disturbing comment at the Shotgun by “x”. A must read for every Canadian:
http://tinyurl.com/d6w6f
Hopefully, some of the questions re Dithers at the end don’t come to pass, but I’m not betting either way.
Ouch Rob. I’ve been thinking that in the back of my mind all week. Seeing it in black & white doesn’t make me feel much better.
Tom Penn, I must agree with you about not tiptoeing around the sensitivites of muslims. These people seem to be eternally offended about every small thing. It doesn’t hurt to have an absurdly politically correct western press who is always there to ask “Are you offended? Do you feel victimized?”
Considering the muslims get the snot beat out of them every time they go up against a western miltary perhaps THEY should be the ones doing the tiptoeing.
We don’t fight religious wars.
But the enemy does.
I’m still not sure why so many people have a hard time comprehending that.
So when did it become acceptable that the Fifth Estate became the Fifth Column.
capt joe, probably around 1932 when Walter Duranty won a Pulitzer for his “Famine? What Ukranian famine? And BTW, the Soviets are swell.” reports.
Hi Kathryn, I was being rhetorical, but I completely agree with your point.
The majority of journalism students are indocrinated in the biblical texts of Chomsky and Zinn. After I left the military, I went back to school to Concordia in Montreal. The only thing missing there was a shrine to Chomsky with votive candles.
Sometimes (god knows why), I catch the program “Hot Type” on the CBC newsworld channel. Note the books on the bookcase? Chomsky and all. Shows you where their thought process is.
So when did journalism become a jihad against the US.
Kate and friends,
Someone at Newsweek screwed up royally. Don’t necessarily blame the reporters. They don’t decide what gets in the magazine. For a take from someone who has been inside smaller locales in the MSM, visit me: eitherorr.blogspot.com.
Specific failures are pointed out.
Great site, Kate. Free Canada!
The so-called reporters ARE to blame. They came up with the story. The editors approved it, so they are also to blame. No conflict.