Anti-Semitism, The New York Times

Following publication of Roger Cohen's op-ed, "Obama in Netanyahu's Web", I complained, again, to Clark Hoyt, The Times' Public Editor, concerning the title of this op-ed and anti-Semitic comments permitted by The Times' "moderators" in response to this and past op-eds. In addition, I have asked that The Times' publisher, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., issue a public, printed apology to Israel's Prime Minister for the title of Cohen's op-ed.

Meanwhile, I heard back from a staffer of the Public Editor's office - not Clark Hoyt:

I have written to you many times telling you that Mr. Hoyt is planning a comment on column approval. He is planning to and will write one. I imagine that he will get into your claims. But, it is one of many he is planning. I have all your messages and will make sure he sees the ones he has not yet seen.

These are good examples and make your case. I will continue to send them on to the Web, which has removed some of the comments you have sent to us. Mr. Hoyt is interested in this and other aspects of the comment moderation. I again, will make sure he sees your message.

I appreciate that this staffer took the time to respond to my message; however, I do not think the issue of anti-Semitism surfacing in The Times can or should be treated in a lackadaisical manner, particularly given The Time' past history (see, e.g., Max Frankel's "Turning Away from the Holocaust", www.racematters.org/turningawayfromholocaust.htm, and read Laurel Leff's "Buried by The Times: The Holocaust and America's Most Important Newspaper"). My reply to the staffer:

I am disappointed by your response that Mr. Hoyt is "planning" a column about "comment approval", and you "imagine" that he will "get into" my "claims", but "it is one of many he is planning".

My complaint, as evident from the subject and content of my e-mail [an example of an anti-Semitic NYT's online comment and examples of anti-Semitic images portraying Jews as voracious, ugly spiders], concerned anti-Semitism, not "comment approval" as indicated in your e-mail.

Within recent months, The Times' "moderators" have permitted the posting of many anti-Semitic comments, some rabid, and notwithstanding my complaints, only after a senior editor received my correspondence were several of these comments removed.

Furthermore, as explained in my prior e-mail to Mr. Hoyt, the title of Roger Cohen's op-ed, drawing a comparison between the Prime Minister of Israel and a spider that has ensnared President Obama, should never have been published by The New York Times.

I am appalled that the issues that I have raised are "just one of many" topics which Mr. Hoyt is planning to address in future columns.

I will expand upon my concerns in an open letter to Mr. Hoyt.