[Shadow_Group] Protest Biased Media Coverage of Palestine and Palestinians

[shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca]

I have seen Arab based media (al-jazeera for
example)allow the use words like zionist when refering
to the government of Israel so they are not as clean
as they'd like to make themselves out to be...
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Protest Biased Media Coverage of Palestine and
Palestinians
Action Alert, ADC, 12 November 2004
 
FROM:
WASHINGTON DC -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee (ADC) expresses deep concerned by the
alarming hostility expressed by media commentators
towards the Palestinian people in the wake of the
death of Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

These comments, with exceptions, contain a surprising
array of dehumanizing and overtly racist comments
against the Palestinian people.  Comments such as the
ones listed below can only be regarded as an
incitement to ethnic hatred of the Palestinians.
Surely the denigration of an ethnic group, a people
who have been living under an ongoing 37-year Israeli
military occupation, constitutes a violation of any
system of journalistic standards. 

For good reason US media commentators have expressed
deep concern at the negative effects of hateful
rhetoric directed against the United States in some
elements of the Arab press.  But we must also be
keenly aware of the damaging and irrational rhetoric
against Arabs, Islam, and in particular Palestinians
expressed by commentators in the US media. 

We should be seeking and working towards a just and
lasting peace for the Israelis and the Palestinians
instead of engaging in hateful rhetoric which
dehumanizes a people and affects perception of
television viewers.  We call on all members of the
media to be objective in their reporting and
commentary.


Examples

An outrageous and repeat offender of what can only be
described as hate speech, is "Imus in the Morning,"
shown weekends on MSNBC.  During the funeral
proceedings in Ramallah, the show host Don Imus,
described Arafat as "stinky," a "rat," with "beady
eyes." He also added statements claiming that "all
Palestinians look like him." Additionally, one guest
described the crowds of Palestinians attending the
funeral as "animals" and joked about their hygiene. 
"They're dropping soap from the helicopters," the
guest laughed. 

Also on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough, host of "Scarborough
Country," began his program by declaring "Some are
calling Yasser Arafat's passing a tragedy. The 'Real
Deal?' He's actually the father of modern terrorism.
Good riddance." He later added, "This was, after all,
the man who invented modern terrorism in the Middle
East and by extension was the godfather of September
11."  Among the guests on the show was the Palestinian
Authority Representative to the United States Hasan
Abdul Rahman, who while attempting to express his
view, was interrupted by shouts of "where's the
money?" by Scarborough in reference to international
aid. 

Such outwardly one-sided comments were also prevalent
in many other news channels during coverage of the
funeral.  "Plans call currently for Yasser Arafat to
be buried in his compound in Ramallah, which will
eventually be turned into some kind of shrine. Maybe
they'll put a sign out front for the Palestinian
people, that read 'here lies the body of the thief who
robbed you blind," said Jack Cafferty on CNN's
"American Morning."  It should be noted that Jack
Cafferty has a history of making racist comments
directed not only at Arabs, Muslims, Arab Americans,
but also Asians.

Action requested

1.  ADC encourages you to contact the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) at:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/complain.html<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/complain.html>

Please note that the FCC website has been down but
should be up and running soon, use the link above to
express your concern. 

2.  Contact the above mentioned shows.


Don Imus at: imus at msnbc.com<mailto:imus at msnbc.com> or tel: (718) 706 7690.


Joe Scarborough at: joe at msnbc.com<mailto:joe at msnbc.com> or tel: (201) 583
5000.


Jack Cafferty at: am at cnn.com<mailto:am at cnn.com> or tel: (212) 275 7820.

3. If you have seen similar hatred expressed in your
local media and to also contact all national media
outlets use ADC's website, at:
http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/media<http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/media>

4. Please send copies of your correspondence to
adc at adc.org<mailto:adc at adc.org>.

Related Links

American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee:
http://www.adc.org/<http://www.adc.org/>

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