| May 2012 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Jesses Petrilla of the U.A.C. argues persuasively that Al-Jazeera is a purveyor of enemy propaganda during wartime, and should not be allowed to broadcast in America:
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has referred to Al-Jazeera's reporting as "vicious, inaccurate, and inexcusable," while Dr. Walid Phares, professor of Middle East Studies at Florida Atlantic University refers to Al-Jazeera as “Jihad TV”. The Al-Jazeera network has blatantly violated the Geneva Conventions time and again by broadcasting images of dead coalition soldiers and prisoners of war, a violation of Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention that protects POWs against acts of intimidation, insults and public curiosity. According to U.S. officials, Al-Jazeera is greatly putting American forces in Iraq at risk by broadcasting intentional lies on a continual basis, and also by broadcasting uncensored messages from terrorist leaders. Now they want to launch a new network, in American homes and in English called Al-Jazeera International.
Al-Jazeera International promises a full array of shows in addition to news and commentary, including children's shows according to the network's sources. Some may wish for the network to successfully launch in America, simply out of their curiosity to see the new station, but the fulfillment of ones curiosity will come at a grave price. With an all too often unpublicized growing insurgency of Islamic militancy within our very own borders, having a network which promotes Islamist propaganda on our own soil is beyond dangerous, it is ludicrous. Would we have given Stalin a radio network in America during the Cold War? Or would we have allowed the National Socialists of Germany to broadcast their messages in the U.S. during WWII? Why then now should we the people allow this network to promote Islamofascist propaganda in the U.S., an ideology that is a greater threat to global security then Nazism and Communism combined ever were?
Nazism could be contained. They wore uniforms, we shot them. They believed that if they were to die, then there would be no more sauerkraut and beer. But today we face an enemy who worships the thought of death in battle against the infidels, with a reward of many virgins in heaven. This new enemy does not wear uniforms, and they have sleeper cells in nearly every country of the world. The establishment of an outlet to send their message of jihad across America in the guise of a mainstream cable network would be a victory for the enemies of the free world, and a loss for America.
If you'd like to help, there's a sample letter on the U.A.C. website that you can send to your local cable carrier, asking them not to carry enemy propaganda.
#1
#2Hi A.M.,
You're the kind of person who wouldn't be influenced by Islamofascist propaganda. I would say that your right to see what they're broadcasting has to be balanced against the right of Western people, not to be killed by Islamofascists.
#3Hi Vic!
On the contrary, I am certainly influenced by Islamofacist propaganda; it makes my blood boil!
We can't start censoring or banning news or we're just as bad as the Middle East, China, etc. Freedom of the press for Americans is a fundamental right! Alas! The Constitution does not specify that the news has to be truthful or correct - or we wouldn't have any publications or news broadcasts!
My point is that Al-Jazeera already exists here as a 'credible' news source for Arabic-speaking subscribers and they seem to be greatly influenced by it. Non Arabic-speaking people are at a disadvantage.
In order to get a handle on their mindset and activities, it would be valuable to have access to their 'news' sources, editorials, and cultural programming.
Recently, I was quite disturbed and revolted by what was proudly translated to me by one of my former roommates, who is convinced that Al-Jezeera's news is the only truthful news. Point by point, I was able to counter many of their provocative and racist assertions as well as egregious errors, which made her think. No one had ever criticised the sources or the 'integrity' of their broadcast 'journalists' to her before.
I was able to do that bit of service for my country and humanity because I had the opportunity to be introduced to Al-Jazeera by a Muslim.
I would guarantee that most Americans would be somewhat amused by what they would see on Al-Jazeera. (Gee, I miss Baghdad Bob!) On the serious side, they might see how hateful and dangerous these Islamofacists are.
I am also not naive; I am sure that a lot of 'intelligence' is also transmitted as part of the broadcasts, which is to be expected. (Supposedly, we have several federal and international agencies listening, monitoring, and deciphering such clandestine messages.)
By the way, Propaganda broadcasts are not new. Consider the famous, insidious radio broadcasts of Axis propaganda during WWII (Lord Haw Haw and Tokyo Rose in particular), After a while, they became the butt of jokes. (Although Lord Haw-Haw, William Joyce, was executed for treason after the war.)
It is our duty to expose Al-Jazeera, or any other propaganda machine, and discredit it in the public arena.
The MSM and talk radio would have a field day with them!
In closing, many of the Muslims (and other new immigrants and citizens) listen to NPR as 'gospel'; I have yet to be in a taxi without it being on the radio. I more concerned with NPR's spin on current events than I am with Al-Jazeera.
Should we also ban NPR? (Well, all things considered, THAT might not be a bad idea!)
A.M
#4Good comments, A.M., as always.
I would say that you have shown how effective Al Jazeera is as a propaganda machine. Permitting them to have an English language broadcast would expand the reach of their propaganda to those who do not speak Arabic, handing an immense benefit to the Islamofascists.
Since your goal is to expose Al Jazeera, it is not helpful to pick a strategy for doing so that makes them far more dangerous.
You might as well give the Islamofascists here guns and tell them to shoot people as part of their right to self-expression.
Just as the right to self-expression does not extend to shooting people who disagree with you, it also does not extend to massively enhancing the propaganda machine of the enemy during wartime.
The Constitution is not a suicide pact. The argument that those who want to kill us have a "constitutional right" to pursue their goals, is suicidal. It is exactly the weak point in our generous society that the terrorists are seeking to exploit so as to destroy the very constitution that guarantees it and institute Sharia law.
#5Now, now, now, Vik!
That gun argument/rationalization is a bit over-the-top!
Honestly, I feel that mainstream America should be aware of what is being said and 'sold' to the Arabs.
I don't believe in hiding unpleasant or dangerous things. I believe in recognizing them and facing up to them. It's the only effective way to fight them. Know your enemy. Fight fire with fire.
Again, it is not as if the Islamofacists don't have access to this news. It's being broadcast into most Muslim homes.
And one can get it on the WWW.
By allowing an English version, it will give us entrance into this cabal. Their perverted spin will disgust even the most bleeding heart liberal and prove that Islam and Sharia Law are not peaceful.
My current roommate is a liberal Democrat from California on an internship here in DC, and she won't even discuss Islam and Muslims. We spoke last night and she became aware of Al-Jezeera through Muslim colleagues in her PhD program.
We both agreed that more people in the US should know what is being broadcast and not rely on heresay.
Another of my roommates was a Chinese nationalist. Whenever there was a significant news-worhty event here, we would access different news bureaus. She finally realized how much wasn't being reported or reported accurately on her nation's official news service. Al-Jazeera was one of our on-line sources and she was astounded how corrupt and 'cunning' (her word) they were! (Naturally, Al-Jazeera is not welcomed in China, so it was her first exposure to them.)
No, I'm not backing down on this.
But if we go back to a gun argument - some people in this great nation want to ban handguns and the right to bear arms because of a number of accidents and deaths that have ocurred (mostly by criminals). Those accidents and deaths are unfortunate; but the greater number of gun owners are responsible and don't choose to use their weapons. They are guaranteed the right to bear arms by the Constitution.
I wouldn't change that, either.
Hmmm. Mainstream American gun owners against Islamofacists -now there's a thought!
A.M.
#6I agree with you on many of your points. But, I don't think you can question that giving Al Jazeera an English-language cable broadcast in the U.S., will enable them to get their message out to far more people here, and in that way enable them to be far more dangerous.
> We both agreed that more people in the US should know what is being broadcast and not rely on heresay.
There are far better ways to achieve this. For example, it would be great if you started a blog that would expose and debunk their statements. It could be a group blog so that you wouldn't have to write all the posts.
#7Hi again!
I guess while we agree on many points, we're still at an impasse concerning how dangerous the propaganda would be. I believe broadcasting Al-Jazeera would dilute the message and, in some cases, hold it up to ridicule. You think a greater number of people would be 'recruited' or 'empowered'.
Oh well!
At this point I have enough difficulty posting what I do and my schedule would not permit me to administer and monitor a blog. I admire what you are doing which is why I contribute when I can.
Of course, in order to debunk what is on Al-Jazeera, it has to be broadcast!
And that, my dear friend, brings us back to the original point.
Over and out!
A.M.
#8To oppose Al Jazeera, you would first make sure they reach as many people as possible. This is a counter-productive strategy on the face of it.
#9Is it because I am a woman that I need to have the last word on this?
I'm also writing as a red state representative and travel mostly within in the flyover states rather than Hollywood, so I have a real different perspective. To answer your question...
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! In fact, I would prefer to have them on network TV in order to reach the widest possible audience!
Have you so little confidence in Americans that you might think such propaganda would influence them against our nation and values? For shame!
Despite what you may fear, we are still a moral. decent, and civilized nation that will not support hate crimes and terrorism.
We certainly have enough diverse groups in place to counter this propaganda. I can almost guarantee that support against terrorism and for Israel would grow as a result.
Here's another senario: It would become a non-issue because no one will pay attention. Viewership would be down and advertisers would be difficult to get. CNN, MSNBC, and other news networks and agencies would do everything they could to discredit Al-Jazeera in order to keep their own viewers. Ah! The American Way!
Vik, I shall not be moved on this.
A.M. has left the building!
For those of you who are fathers, Happy Father's Day!
#10Have you so little confidence in Americans that you might think such propaganda would influence them against our nation and values? For shame!
A.M., this is already a propaganda war, and the other side is already doing tremendous harm via their propaganda. (See this previous post for a link.)
#11What harm?
It's silly!
Who would take this 'reporting' seriously?
We all know the truth about that 'martyr'!
To see how Al-Jazeera spins his death should be an insight into how blatantly biased they are.
It's laughable.
You've actually proved my point.
-----------------------------------------
Listen Vik, you and I agree on so many other things, let's move on...
#12Al Qaeda takes the media war very seriously, as shown by this document found in the recent raids.
#13Listen Vik, you and I agree on so many other things, let’s move on…
Okay, and as a good friend of this site, I will give you the last word. Whatever you post next, will be the last word (unless of course another commenter adds something.)
#14Vik,
You are a chivalrous gentleman!
------------------------------------
THEY can take whatever they want seriously; I don't. Their advertising efforts are feeble and childish. Their bias is evident. Their bravado is transparent.
Educated and informed consumers are their worst customers!
It's a rotten product.
Al Jazeera is actually undermining their own cause by broadcasting nonsense. FYI Most of the world knows that Zarqawi was a terrorist and murderer; describing this miscreant as a martyr is laughable to the civilized world. Who outside of the Muslim community is going to buy that?
We shouldn't become weak in the knees at every threatening or provocative broadcast - it's giving them too much credence and power.
Even Goebbels' highly efficient and sophisticated propaganda machine was exposed and ridiculed; it diffused the Nazi cause for the rest of the world. Churchill was the greatest PR genius to combat this propaganda. It can be done!
Goebbels was defeated, the Soviet Empire was defeated, and Islamic imperialism will be defeated!
And now we have the internet and bloggers (a mighty force)!
Where's your faith and sense of history?!!!
Let it be broadcast! Let Letterman, Leno, and Ferguson include it in their monologues! Let the pundits pun! Let the televangelists tell!
Let those who would try to terrorize us be defeated by their own propaganda machine.
Let our right to have access to all news sources be upheld.
Truth is the absolute defense and the truth shall keep us free!
-------------------------------
Al-Jazeera as a recruiting tool? No. I don't see that. It might actually backfire on them when mainstream Americans are able to get a view into their society, culture and morality; it could actually promote more recruitment for our own armed forces, especially if they start to show dead coalition soldiers and prisoners of war! (Which is against the Geneva Convention - but what do they care?)
A televised, public beheading would be a sure way to repulse Americans!
Of course there are some disenfranchised dysfuntionals and criminals who might be lured, but at the same time we still have neo-Nazi, white supremiscist, Communist, and other hate-based organizations with significant membership in this country.
Yes. Islam wants to conquer the world. That is a fact. Islam wants to destroy Israel. That is a fact. Islam is 21st century Nazism with overt terrorism. That has become a fact. Both Nazism and Islam are the products of dysfunctional psychopaths; malcontents; and poor,ignorant populations. that is a fact.
I take THAT seriously.
Fight the actions and not the assertions..
And make no mistake, we will prevail, with God's help!
#15VIK,
There are a lot of shows geared to the non-English speaking/international population in this country, whether on networks, local stations, or cable. Most of them are aired in their respective languages.
Would you support some sort of FCC code that there be accurate English translation/subtitles on ALL these broadcasts?
I'm not just saying this for national interests (counter-propaganda etc.), but the Chinese and Punjabi programs seem to be quite interesting - and I can't always have my Chinese and Sikh friends around to translate!
AM
Almost all of my Muslim neighbors have an extra dish set up to receive Al-Jazeera (in Arabic). Most Muslim businesses also have it - especially in restaurants where the men gather for coffee or the young for hookahs.
Don't I also have a right to see what it is broadcasting?
A.M.