"Fox treats Palestinian and Israeli deaths unequally, and use propagandistic language, such as referring to suicide bombers as homicide bombers.
. . . .
The ADL was right to see opposition to anti-Semitism as inseparable from other forms of bigotry, and Zionism as not incompatible with a commitment to civil rights throughout the world."
Ben Adler, who tells us that Fox News has been disrespectful to "80-year-old Holocaust survivor George Soros" (poor, poor George) and has "fanned the flames of anti-Muslim bigotry" while also "encouraging homophobia, xenophobia, and anti-Latino racism", concludes his essay by stating:
"By decoupling support for Israel from the group's other supposed values, and prioritizing the former above the latter, the ADL is doing the Jewish people a disservice. It should take this opportunity to restore its integrity and credibility, before it's too late."
By what right does Adler (how old is he?) purport to speak on behalf of the Jewish people? When condemning the ADL, Adler of course forgets to mention, for example, the organization's recent condemnation of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef for "offensive and incendiary" comments (http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/5839_62.htm).
I don't get angry easily, but have another look at Adler's contention that "Fox treats Palestinian and Israeli deaths unequally, and use propagandistic language, such as referring to suicide bombers as homicide bombers."
Am I missing something? Is Adler indeed suggesting that suicide bombers are anything other than demented ruthless killers of civilians? I am willing to bet that Adler has never witnessed a suicide bombing or its aftermath, or retrieved the severed limbs and heads of mothers and their children.
The only thing more offensive than this item by a would-be Jewish president (see: http://www.newsweek.com/authors/ben-adler.html) is the decision to publish it by Newsweek, which continues to flounder ethically and financially.
Marina,
ReplyDeleteI am no fan of the ADL. They have never answered my e-mails, and indeed they have never challenged The New York Times with respect to its nascent anti-Semitism. However, I do not perceive the ADL as leftist or rightist, given their awards to both Murdoch and Zakaria (of Newsweek . . .). Rather, I see them as too busy giving awards, rather than protecting Jews from anti-Semitism.
Jeffrey,
ReplyDeleteFor me, both the selection of their friends and their foes shows Foxman's personal preferences, rather than some objective approach with clear goal. Now, for example, their latest war cry is for defense of Muslims . Foxman writes (http://www.adl.org/Civil_Rights/speech-annual-meeting-ahf-2010.asp): "We must speak out when there are threats to burn the Muslim holy book, the Koran." What is wrong with burning Koran? As far as I am concern, the book teaches Islamic superiority and hate toward infidels. At the same time, in the last two years, there is no a single publication on the ADL site about widespread persecution of Jewish students on campus. Foxman does not represent Jews. May be, only left leaning, self-hating Jews.