Media Bias Against Israel

Journalists are professionals. Trained by well-respected college professors. They're trained to be objective, to not let their personal viewpoint infect their reporting, to treat all sides fairly. Yes siree, they're professionals.

Unfortunately, there's widespread reportorial infection, and the MSM's bias is showing. Like a mini-skirted girl's slip sagging below her knees. Everyone else can see it, but she keeps on going in clueless ignorance.

Tom Gross, in yesterday's National Review Online sees it. His main target is the BBC, with a little CNN on the side.

Large sections of the international media are not only misreporting the current conflict in Lebanon. They are also actively fanning the flames of unrest.

The BBC World Service has a strong claim to be the number-one villain. It has come to sound like a virtual propaganda tool for Hezbollah. And as it desperately attempts to prove that Israel is guilty of committing “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity,” it has introduced a new charge ... the claim that “Israel’s attack on Lebanon” will serve as a “recruitment” drive for al Qaeda.

[I]n spite of hundreds of hours of broadcast by dozens of BBC reporters and studio anchors, you wouldn’t really know that hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been living in bomb shelters for weeks now, tired, afraid, but resilient; that a grandmother and her seven-year old grandson were killed by a Katyusha during a Friday-night Sabbath dinner; that several other Israeli children have died.

Hugh Hewitt's latest column, in today's Townhall, asks the following multiple-choice question:

If you could save the victims of one of the following four events, which group would you save?

1. The victims of Fidel Castro's "revolution?"

2. The victims of Hezbollah's ambushes, rockets and missiles over the past three weeks?

3. The victims of the Seattle attack on the Jewish federation?

4. The victims of Mel Gibson's repulsive outburst of anti-Semitic venom?

People who value human life must choose to save Castro's victims--in the millions. Or even Hezbollah's victims--in the thousands. But the MSM doesn't go there.

To MSM, Castro is the aging but charismatic leader of a defiant island-state, still bearded and wearing fatigues.

Hezbollah is the little terrorist organization that could hold out against the mighty IDF.

Naveed Haq, according to his lawyer, "had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had been taking medication to help control its symptoms, which generally include drastic mood swings."

Mel Gibson, however, is the one who gets the horrified coverage.

Real Guy, in his latest post, also looks at the slanted media reports.

Given the volume of rockets launched and the continuous nature of the Hezbollah operations, this has become, as Hugh rightfully calls it, the The Longest Sustained Terrorist Act In History. So why hasn't the media picked up on this and why haven't they characterized it properly? Why isn't it a top priority for the leaders of civilized countries? Is it okay for Israel to fight this battle alone? Why hasn't the U.N. condemned Hezbollah's actions forcefully enough?

If you read our media or watch any of the news channels you get the impression that Hezbollah is impervious to criticism and Israel is on the PR defensive. You also get the impression that the poor Hezbollah troops are trying hard, but, gosh darn it, they only have WW II era rockets and Toyota pickups and they need a chance to be successful and improve their self esteem. And while we're at it, Israel needs to lay off and give them the breathing room to improve their competence as a fighting force. Maybe they'll actually figure out how to point those rockets to hit something. It's almost as if the media wants to see a fair fight. (emphasis in the original)

I get my news from the internet and occasionally from Fox News (lefties, please read, "Faux News" if it helps). There's nothing the MSM has to offer that I can trust. With one exception: When the LA Times lists their voting recommendations on Propositions and Bond measures, I know I can vote the opposite way without regret.

As long as they hang onto their bias (and there's no indication they'll wise up), they'll keep losing readers. But what's worse is that they add another major obstacle to the victory we must win in this war we're fighting--and that Israel is fighting for us on the Hezbollah front.