Wednesday, May 18, 2005

The Saga Continues.

The Newsweak Saga continues on.

The lines seem to be facing this question: Is the government out of line by asking Newsweek to clean up its mess? Wretchard recounts some of the press conference where Scott McClellan was facing a very hostile crowd. The crowd not only was hostile but wasting everyone's time. This
statement: [DIG UP STATEMENT]
Q Are you asking them to write a story about how great the American military is; is that what you're saying here?


MR. McCLELLAN: Elisabeth, let me finish my sentence. Our military --


Q You've already said what you're -- I know what -- how it ends.
Source: The Belmont Club - The Agent 2


makes one wonder why this reporter bothered to attend at all.

Let us remember what exactly Newsweak actually did. They reported on a story based on rumors and on anonymous sources. They have no one willing to stand up and testify to the story (of course talibaners who were imprisoned there claim it and many other things so however I do not trust them), they have no objective evidence that can prove their story. All they have is hearsay and the old line that no matter how weak or non-existent the evidence is we still should believe them.

Let us recall a basic truism of claim-making. If you make a claim then YOU are responsible for proving the claim. If you can not prove a claim then you better not make it, be ready to receive criticism, not be believed, or be dismissed by people. Newsweak made a claim and is unable
to back it up and are now caught in a real bind.

Many people are very upset with the President's administration for criticizing Newsweak and calling for at least an honest retraction and an honest attempt to repair the damage done. Why? What is wrong with asking for something? We have to understand something here.

The administration is being very careful to show the Islamic world the WOT is not really a WOI (War on Islam). This is NOT an easy proposition here since the WOT is first and foremost against Islamic terror. It is very easy for the Muslims who are behind radical Islamic terrorism to
paint any action against any Muslim (regardless if it is truly justified, even by Islamic standards) anywhere in the world as an action rooted in the desire to attack Islam. I can tell stories all day how touchy Muslims are about attacks on Islam.

Part of this is human nature in general and part of this is Islam in particular. We all tend to get defensive when something precious to us is seemingly attacked. This is natural, when in high school we received an anonymous note attacking the religious faith of a family that ran
upon hard times. Even though at the time I was fallen away from my faith I still reacted defensively with respect to that note.

The Mainstream Mastodons (MSM) are working to undermine the WOT and to promote the understanding of the terrormongerers.

Go read Wretchard's post and the most excellent comments!
|