Dean's World

The Power Of The Press

Joe Gandelman

Newsweek ran a certain detail in one of its reports -- and now the Muslim world is furious.

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Newsweek Fired, Replaced By Bloggers
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Koranic Abuse In Other Places?...
On Patriotism
Newsweek Retracts Koran Desecration Story
The Power Of The Press

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John_B (mail) (www):

I'm pleased to note that both the Organization of Islamic Conference and the World Muslim League--both major global Islamic organizations--are calling for an investigation, not a lynching. See my post at Crossroads Arabia, Culture Clashes: Sacred Texts

5.15.2005 1:58am

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Dean Esmay:

Yes. What if the story isn't even true?

5.15.2005 5:28am

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Dave Schuler (mail) (www):

Dean's gone to the critical question. What if the story isn't true? Or what, as I've read here and there, the Koran was flushed by a prisoner?

Does it make a difference to Newsweek? Does it make a difference to how we view Newsweek? Remember: real people are dead at least as a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the story.

5.15.2005 10:10am

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Sandi (www):

If true this is a very stupid stunt.

On the other hand, for the sake of arugement, suppose the story is true. If they catch the person, what can they do? The only charge I can think of is destruction of personal property. It certainly is not a crime in this coutry to destroy a book. Any book.

On the news (FOX I think) I heard it was rumored that it may have been a Muslim prisioner that flushed it, but that is even harder to believe because of their reverence to it.

5.15.2005 10:21am

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cardeblu (mail):

Joe, you might want to put this on TMV, as well. I found it via LGF: Newsweek admits report is false.

Don't they ever learn?

5.15.2005 4:33pm

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Joe Gandelman (mail):

Yes. I have to go out right now but when I return in about an hour I will do a post on this on my site and here. I continue to be amazed a how journalist standards have fallen. I sound VERY old when I say this but it's clear standards have been loosened up and/or some of the failsafe layers in reporting organizations have been eliminated. More later..

5.15.2005 6:24pm

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John_B (mail) (www):

Sandi,

There are a some things that could be done had this turned out to be true. (I'm assuming, for the moment, that the story is discredited.)

The person destroying the book could have been busted (if military) or fired (if civilian) for the act. Complicating your boss's life--as this certainly did--is punishable under various codes of behavior. "Demeaning the reputation of the service" is a punishable offense. It's the same "crime" that is punished when an officer shacks up with somebody else's wife/husband.

Were USG property destroyed--or the USG to incur additional expenses--as a result of the act, the person could be fined to recover that amount.

5.15.2005 6:32pm

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Dave Schuler (mail) (www):

At this point Newsweek seems to be retracting the story. Personally, I don't think that's enough. Who are Newsweek's major advertisers at this point? I don't subscribe so I couldn't tell you. I wonder if their advertisers think that Newsweek's conduct has been appropriate?

5.15.2005 7:45pm

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Dean Esmay:

This story will continue to circulate in the muslim world for years to come. The damage can't be undone. Or can only be partly undone.

5.16.2005 1:05am

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John_B (mail) (www):

Dean, you've nailed it exactly.

5.16.2005 12:27pm