More On Newsweek
Scott Kirwin
Newsweek has blood on its hands.
In its haste to discredit American efforts overseas it has fabricated lies to a degree that makes Al-Jazeera or the Weekly World look like journalistic pillars by comparison. In fact, spottings of Elvis or alien abduction stories do not claim lives - but the "Koran flushing" story has. And it will cost even more over the coming months as this myth gets spread along with so many others by our enemies. When the bombs go off, Newsweek will be partly to blame. When the IEDs are detonated, Newsweek will share responsibility for the carnage. Yes ultimate responsibility lays with the psychopaths who do the detonating, but what Newsweek has done is the rough equivalent of what Iago did to Othello: whispering lies into the ears of walking nutjobs in order to set them off.
Liberals like George Lucas, Michael Moore and others have preached about the tyranny of the Bush Administration and American policy, yet where is the tyranny when the Mainstream Media is free to dream up and disseminate enemy propaganda?
Since we are a free people I believe that it is not the government's responsibility to punish Newsweek: it is ours. We must make Newsweek pay for its lies using every method at our disposal. I've contacted my three top legislators. I don't subscribe, so I can't cancel that. How about writing it's big sponsors? Most of us are too busy making a living to protest, but burning the editor of Newsweek in effigy in front of the Newsweek offices in New York could be fun. Satire always bites. Any more ideas?
http://www.juggernuts.com/comments.php?id=3534_0_1_0_C
This is more negligent homicide, in my mind. Maybe I'm parsing the issue too much, but I think it makes a difference. Terrorist leaders incite riots. Newsweek jut enabled them.
As for punishment: I think all subscribers should deface their current issue and go put it onto news stands. Flushing a bunch of Newsweeks down the toilet would be good too, but I live in DC and our plumbing is already a little iffy--wouldn't want to fill the sewers with any more s**t.
Likewise, rioting because you think that the Qur'an needs to be "saved" from America only reveals your ignorance about the timelessness of the book itself - and its transcendent status in our material world.
However, with respect to Newsweek, a magazine that I stopped reading in 1998, but which I do notice is hosted online by the same media organization as hosts GlennReynolds.com, I think that arguing that the single disputed factoid about flushing the Qur'an is somehow responsible for American deaths requires proof of cause and effect.
Since there have been numerous reports of abuse of teh Qur'an well before Newsweek's report, with no such riots, I think that evidence for the causal relationship is weak. I've got some links at City of Brass to published media reports of Qur'an desecration that did not to my knowledge result in widespread rioting.
If you accept that the causual relationship alleged by the RighteousSphere is in fact weak, then you might conclude (as I have) that Newsweek or no Newsweek, the muharib involved would surely have found a different excuse to launch their harabah.
Excellent point, and well taken. Something else is at play since the riots were not spontaneous.
I would not be troubled by such a story appearing in the Arab press, since as an American of Jewish (and Irish) ancestry I'm used to myths and lies being told there.
What I am upset about is such a story appearing in Newsweek. The Liberal media has done everything in its power to undermine American efforts that are not blessed by the UN or another transnational authority. It's almost like Newsweek's source was on the payroll of Al-Qaeda.
Al Jazeera could report this, and it would be another lie told about America. But Newsweek?
There are several issues here: the rise of Islamofascism vs Democracy. Democracy vs. Authoritarianism. Nationalism vs. Transnationalism.
Newsweek and the rest of the Liberal Media establishment has cast its lot with Transnationalism, and the hell with everything else. It will do anything to promote that agenda including lie.
There will always be radicals willing to riot against America, but Newsweek and the rest of the American media establishment needs to be put on notice:
Unfortunately middle class Republicans don't riot. But if we did I wouldn't want to be affiliated with Newsweek, Time, CNN or the New York Times.
Just curious. I'm cancelling my subscription. As a non-subscriber, I would encourage you to just keep writing. I agree with you, there's no place for government in this.
Someone give Scott a pencil to chew on - he's practically foaming at the mouth over this.
Write the editors of Newsweek, and then move on.
I do think that Mary Madigan has a point regarding the propaganda factor. It really does not surprise me that our own media is being used to perpetuate violence and anti-americanism.
Hehehe...
Mike
I contacted my legislators because they are my representatives and as such are not included in "the government". I was thinking FCC or other non-elected agencies. Poor choice of words on my part.