A Glimpse Into Media Manipulation
In place of the daily print edition of the defunct Ann Arbor News stand two on-line news sites: AnnArbor.com and The Ann Arbor Chronicle. The former allows independent news articles to be posted on its Community Wall section, and JWPF selected our most verbal Vigiler to write up a short piece entitled, “Synagogue Vigil Group Celebrates Seven-Year Anniversary,” which was posted last week.
This article elicited 73 responses before commenting was closed by AnnArbor.com staff, and it’s instructional to review the nature of the comments received. The most ominous remarks were not the standard ad hominem attacks, but those maligning the news organization itself. Bedrog writes:
ann arbor.com….unbelievable! You have now, knowingly and willingly ( because you are well aware of the history of this sorry lot!!) become a propaganda- bearer for a true hate group ,some of whom have predictably weighed in with their own fatuous and accuracy-devoid self congratulations!.
mazal tov. you must be so proud of your journalistic standards.
In a later comment Bedrog continues taunting AnnArbor.com staff:
moderators: it’s not too early to reflect on New Years resolutions, particularly about self-promotion by hate groups on ‘community walls’…which, to continue the metaphor, is sort of obscene graffiti, i trust you agree .
We note the pleas for silencing others, while substantive discussion is avoided. Another commenter, Rulieg chimes in:
what IS surprising is that annarbor.com has given these people a comfortable perch from which to propagandize. this is the second anti-Israel article in as many weeks that you’ve posted.
hey, annarbor.com, is it ok if I post a story about a Hitler Youth meeting I attended recently? the signs were all really nicely drawn.
We are once again reminded of The Jewish Onslaught by Tony Martin, the “dynamic silencing” of Fr. Charles Coughlin, and the repeated, but unsuccessful, attempts at silencing our own voices. Zionists are in the driver’s seat in this country; for now, they largely control US foreign policy and the cultural discourse on Palestine-Israel. It’s clear that they want to drive out opposing facts and opinions even from such limited public forums as AnnArbor.com’s Community Wall. AnnArbor.com stood tall this week; we hope they continue to publish news articles that concern our local community.
Found On-Line
One of our strong supporters located a short interview of this writer on WhatReallyHappened.com under the headline: “Jews Exposing Zionist Grip on America – Moderate Jewish Voices”. A new posting of a seventh-month old video.
Eight Vigilers
Jewish State or Peace? – Our Choice
Henry Herskovitz
Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friend
