Mike L.
I recently received an invitation from Le Thuy, of Free News of the World (FNOTW), to participate as a pro-Israel commenter on that website. It looks to me like FNOTW is a start-up looking to build readership and secure content.
Free News of the World is a neutral news agency specialized in news from global conflict zones.
With FNOTW, everyone from both sides of the conflicts can write news, post pictures and express their views. FNOTW does not take any stand or support any party.
Sometimes people think that in conflicts one side is good and the other is bad, but sometimes it's not that simple.I am still pondering whether or not I want to do this and there is definitely a hostile individual, Richard Morris, from the UK that is currently dominating the discussion.
I may, or may not, go for it, but I would certainly encourage you guys to check this joint out and participate according to your will.
I need to confirm with Le Thuy soon, one way or the other, but in the mean time I thought that I would point you guys in their direction.
It looks like an interesting and nifty site to me.
Let me know what you think.
It certainly isn't neutral as far as "Israel/Palestine" is concerned. So far it has published pretty much only anti-Israel propaganda in its most vile forms, including even allegations that Israel "tortures children" and appears to be part of a fresh global campaign that centres on the innocence and suffering of poor Palestinian children at the hands of the cruel Israelis that is sweeping up Islamist, leftist and Christian outlets. An antisemitic canard if I've ever seen one.
ReplyDeleteStill if Le Thuy is serious about balancing the hateful lies with some truth then it shouldn't be too difficult to cross post some appropriate pieces.
I suggest give it a go. You can only imagine the ferocity of the reaction of Morris and the other "news reporters".
Michael, I agree with Geoff when he says that "It certainly isn't neutral as far as "Israel/Palestine" is concerned."
ReplyDeleteIt's your call. I am sick of the arguing.
On other note and I owe Geoff and email...What happened the photos you took when I was at your house?
Shirl, I like your new icon very much.
ReplyDeleteAs for FNOTW, I like the clean look and I like the concept and I have to think that if they didn't honestly want to balance the conversation that I would not have heard from Le Thuy.
I just do not know if it is worth it to me to take up the commitment.
Their Alexa traffic ranking is exceeding high, which indicates low readership, although I have serious doubts about Alexa's accuracy, in general.
I have a hard enough time producing content for this place - not to mention the TOI blog - that I do not know if it is worth my while to go against an anti-Semitic anti-Zionist elsewhere.
I'm still chewing on it.
Thanks Mike. It took while to get it small enough for an Avatar. I've had it for a fair amount of time too. In the end I snipped it. Then I reduced the size and snipped it again.
ReplyDeleteI have an artist friend doing one for me for my site. David and I have been discussing it and I am ready to roll with his idea of going live without it being finished. It really goes against the grain, me being the perfectionist that I am.
I will contact you guys about it. David says **I suggest we appoint several people with “author” rights, and then the “editors” check and approve for publication.**
Hi all, I am Le Thuy from FNOTW. Thank you very much for your interest and concerns about our site. The purpose of our site is to give a platform for people from different sides of a conflict to join the table and have constructive discussion about it.
ReplyDeleteWe were launched in June with a small group of volunteer, our reach to writers is still limited. Concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict, Richard Morris has been active and that's why our site is now Pro-Palestine looking. And that's why we are trying to find the people from the Israel side to gain the balance.
To Goeff: The reason why we don't post cross appropriate material is that every writer that writes on our site has to choose a side and write from their own perspective.
I hope to see you all give it a try. FNOTW welcomes you.
p.s. I'm a girl by the way :)
Are you from Vietnam?
DeleteWhy does your site not permit blasphemy? Some see free news as blasphemy. And why do you use Wikipedia to define it?
If you think calling someone an "anti-Semite" right out of the bat is constructive, then Mike L is your guy!
DeleteYou have said things that are antisemitic. How constructive is that?
Deletethen quote it
DeleteI don't care about Europe :3~ Are you European? I am American. Also, yeah, that Martin Luther King quote has been debunked several thousand times. Only liars use that quote.
DeleteI don't care about the European definition which was is not even a part of the EU charter lol. But if you think hezbollah and hamas are not terrorists going by EU definitions then you are a crazy person and an anti-Semite.
Why do you hate Jews?
Choomin, you've said -
Delete"Zionism doesn't equal racism. It surpasses it since it is a fascist idealogy."
This is an antisemitic statement, whether you agree with the EU or not.
(And I'd note that if even the EU is calling your thoughts antisemitic... well then boy howdy!)
Now even if that MLK quote had been 'debunked thousands of times' (which it hasn't), you would still be living proof that anti-Zionism equals antisemitism, what with your obsession with Jews and your Holocaust De-Judaisation.
Only antisemites continually troll Jewish sites to push their sick, hate-filled agenda, Choomin.
I'd ask why you hate Jews, but honestly I don't care to dig too deep into your psyche.
Actually, the MLK quote is accurate and though several Muslims tried to debunk, they were debunked conclusively. I figured you would say what you did, however.
DeleteThe EU Working Definition has been adopted by the US Government. Did not you know this?
Your two statements evidence the ignorance that one finds among many who are so misled and misinformed about Israel overall. I am disappointed that you seem to be in that group, and that you have failed to educate yourself with regard to the facts.
Your statement about the EU and terrorist groups is a diversion and sounds, to me, like you are feeling sorry for yourself. The US has so designated these groups as terrorist so why is that not good enough for you.
Anyway, you asked and I provided the statement, but you have ignored it in your answer.
The fact is that Choomin actually is a generally smart person. I'll grant him that.
DeleteThe question after that point then becomes, why does he continue to troll Jewish sites, and why is he so invested in antisemitic anti-Zionism?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI did not say he was not smart, but ignorant, which allows him to treat misinformation as truth because he does not know the facts.
DeleteEven people acting in good faith can be ignorant, especially when the information relied on comes only from one side, and alternative information is dismissed summarily as he did above. In both cases he did not know key information that made the statements he made untrustworthy.
But you are right, his statement is so clearly antisemitic in its content and tone, speaks for itself, and to not see that is what makes him most ignorant of all.
+1, School...
DeleteSo saying Nazis committed genocide is now anti-Semitic? WOW INDEED! Whatever. You show your colors now with your feeble attempt to paint me as this or that.
DeleteI feel sad for you. Since you seem like you don't care at all about victims of ethnic nationalism and genocide throughout the world. They don't matter to you if you attacked that comment I made several years ago. Sick...
Denying that Jews were the primary target of same, is antisemitic. And is akin to holocaust denial.
DeleteEspecially considering that you've long since proven that you are not merely innocently misinformed, but rather that you are intentionally ignorant and hateful.
As somebody told you in that very thread - do not try to occupy the moral high ground, after spending so long scraping the very bottom of the barrel.
I get what you're trying to do here, though, Choomin. I would note that your trolling is tiresome, however, for the record.
You don't really warrant outrage anymore. Just a yawn or two, from time to time.
Now go wash your hood and armband.
Ow how hurtful Jay. You dredge up a 3 year old comment to say what now? That YOU are a genocide denier.
DeleteHood and armband? Sounds like that fits you better. Since I don't associate with David Duke or David Horwitz. You, on the other hand...
More dodging and deflection from a proven (at best) Holocaust minimizer.
DeleteNow, with added "I know you are but what am I!"
Yawn.
Why would it matter when you said what you said, when you're still here three years later pushing the same exact crap and still trolling Jews?
If you truly do belive that anything you've said here over the past few weeks helps your case in any way, I'd argue that you should probably save some sympathy for yourself.
You make no sense, Choomin, because of the way you try and obfuscate on the issues.
DeleteThis notion of being against ethnic nationalism of all forms is preposterous.
The fact that you single out Israel in the preposterous notion is antisemitic, a concept that you refute yet refuse to define.
Not to mention your specific antisemitic words that are quoted above.
How is one to treat what you say with any seriousness?
Hi, thank you for your questions.
ReplyDeleteYes I am from Vietnam. FNOTW team is a group of voluntary members from different countries including Vietnam, Singapore, and Finland...
FNOTW revolves around conflict, a topic that often involves religions. As religion is deeply personal and we respect the freedom of religion, we choose to be against blasphemy. News in FNOTW is not blasphemous. Please have a look fnotw.org
Concerning the use of Wikipedia, the team agreed that the explanations that we use are easy to understand.
Thank you. FNOTW welcomes you to join.
It's interesting to me that the site claims not to allow 'defamation or blasphemy,' when the anti-Israel hit pieces seem to consist of nothing but defamation (amongst three other D's).
ReplyDeleteAnd then this, from our 'buddy' Richard Morris...
"How often can we refute their biblical interpretations and the foolishness of claiming to be a chosen people, to tell them they do not have a mandate from a talking, warlike God unique to them"
...sure seems like 'blasphemy' to me. Though far be it from me to actually oppose 'blasphemy.'
What I would ask is, is this yet another case of there being completely different sets of rules applied when it comes to how Jews are treated and discussed?
(and as an aside, I'm sure Mr. Morris wonders why some would call him an antisemite...)
I have no reason whatsoever to doubt that Ms. Thuy Le is sincere in her desires to run that site as she claims, however it never ceases to amaze me how one could read things such as what is published there and actually believe that such words and articles would actually, truly lead to "constructive discussion."
I just clicked on a random sample of a few pieces at that link.
I would like to think it need not take an advanced degree in Jewish history for even non-Jews to see how ridiculously offensive a whole bunch of stuff therein is. We have everything from "Israel targets and kills babies" to concern trolling about prejudice within Israeli Jewish society to who-knows-what-else is in the articles I didn't bother to look at.
This stuff is really considered a way to "join the table and have constructive discussion?" Seriously?
Again, my point here is not to pick on Ms. Thuy Le. It is, however, to point out that sites which provide platforms to such hate speech do not help. Would similar 'discussion' be considered acceptable against (and yes, I do mean 'against,' rather than 'about' or 'with') any other people in the world?
And not to mention, how on earth does the not-very-original misinterpretation of chosenness, all too common to those who use same to attack Jews (not 'Zionists' or 'Israelis'), fit in to 'constructive discussion' about anything?
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your understanding of our purpose.
We are aware of the difficulties when we decide to bring different sides of a conflict to the same table. But constructive discussion is what we are aiming at and working towards. And FNOTW is neither for nor against any side. We remain neutral.
We encourage you to join the conversation on the site to help spread the voice of the Israelis and to gain the balance of the discussion.
We appreciate your comment and we will take it into consideration as we continue developing our site.
Thank you.
Just so you know that blasphemy would then include expression against Jews.
DeleteIn my view, it is way too subjective.
Defamation is another story, but here in the USA truth is a defense.
I also was curious as to whether you are residing in Vietnam, although you are free not to say.
DeleteI have decided to participate and I would very much encourage you guys to do so, as well.
ReplyDeleteThe idea behind this project is noble despite the fact that the "Israel-Palestine" zone is already dominated by an anti-Semitic anti-Zionist.
Also, you should know that I tried to register and, for whatever reason, the system did not allow.
If any of you guys register please let me know if you do so successfully.
In any case, I say, have at it.
I am registered
DeleteI have a question. If you think that anti-semitic and anti-zionist are the same, why do you feel the need to reinforce that notion with the term "anti-Semitic anti-Zionist". Why not use one or the other to characterize others? It seems redundant if they are one and the same but you still say both.
DeleteIt's like calling a black person "black person who is black". You know what I mean?
That is a rather silly question, an exercise in word games with no substance. Why do you even ask?
DeleteJews do not choose the way that antisemites project themselves. Anti-Zionist is just one way that antisemistism rears its head.
Ease up on duh General, os26. He's doin' teh best he can. ;)
DeleteSorry oldschooltwentysix... that question was to Mike. I apologize for the confusion you must have experienced just now.
DeleteAlso.. who are you randall kohn?
I was not confused. Even if it was to him, my comment stands. What was your purpose in asking the question. I do not see any.
DeleteHi General Choomin,
DeleteI think that you ask a reasonable question:
If you think that anti-semitic and anti-zionist are the same, why do you feel the need to reinforce that notion with the term "anti-Semitic anti-Zionist".
It is precisely because "anti-Zionist" and "anti-Semitic" are the same that it's necessary to emphasize that fact. Anti-Zionism is the most common form of hatred toward the Jewish people in the world today.
What I would ask for you to understand is that the Jewish people have been an oppressed and persecuted minority for millennia.
To suggest that the effort of our grandparents and great-grandparents to save us from that persecution is somehow "racist" is, of course, deeply hateful toward the Jewish people.
It is, in fact, anti-Semitic.
I'm just some random guy on teh Web, General.
DeleteWait... what is anti-semitic? I mean, the definition in general. Are you saying it's this? :
Delete"What I would ask for you to understand is that the (insert ethnicity) people have been an oppressed and persecuted minority for millennia.
To suggest that the effort of our grandparents and great-grandparents to save us from that persecution is somehow "racist" is, of course, deeply hateful toward the (insert ethnicity) people."
I don't understand.
After just a quick perusal of the Israel-Palestine zone, it looks like just another poorly informed Israel-bashing outlet for the haters.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, what do i know.
I see it took all of one comment and 15 minutes there at that site for School to become a victim of nasty personal attacks in the comments. Not that I expected anything different, but still...
ReplyDeleteWhere did this occur?
DeleteThe comment you replied to.
DeleteI'm assuming that is you, right?
Yeah, but it was only one comment from the one who posted the diary, and it was rather tame. I replied in kind, and don't feel like I was attacked anywhere near what I experience elsewhere. Then again, it is early in the day, so to speak.
DeleteGotcha.
DeleteI guess it just speaks to the general all-around nastiness we've come to expect these days, that being immediately called an ignorant bigot for pointing out a simple fact is considered tame! Heh.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments concerning FNOTW.
Thank you Mike and oldschooltwentysix for your participation.
Sorry Mike for the inconvenience you got while registering. I encourage you to try again.
FNOTW welcomes you all to join.
We hope to hear your voices and your interesting conversation on our site.
I would suggest that you rename the area to Arab-Israeli conflict because that is a more accurate depiction.
DeleteAlso, where do you suggest that articles on antisemitism be posted? Ones like this:
http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/07/09/simon-wiesenthal-center-slams-khaybar-miniseries-after-video-of-actors-spewing-hate-surfaces-video/
Hi,
DeleteThanks for your comment. I would suggest this article be posted in the Israel-Palestine zone on our site at the moment.
We are thinking of opening more zones in the future. Right now, we have the "Others" zone for news from conflicts other than the existing zones to be posted. We'll then choose the most popular topic from there to make a new zone.
We hope to see more conversation concerning Israel and the Arab world on our site so that new zones can be created.
Best,
Le.
I too have had difficulty registering. The site is rejecting as invalid a valid email address.
DeleteHi Geoffff,
DeleteThank you very much for your interest and effort. I'm really sorry to hear that. Mike also had a problem registering. I'm not sure if yours was the same as his.
But I can help you register using my email, then you can change it to yours. Please tell me if that's ok for you via thuy.le@fnotw.org
Hope to hear from you.
Best,
Le
I am getting mail that someone has responded to my comment, but the content is obscenity.
DeleteBrings to mind Adam Levick's point from yesterday.
DeleteFor all the finger-pointing accusations so many of these types make toward alleged 'nasty, violent, intimidating Zionists,' the real truth is that they're merely projecting their own atitudes and actions onto others.
Excluding the margins and looking at sites where both sides comment together, from places like Daily Kos to HuffPo and even to FNOTW, it seems pretty clear to me that the vast majority of nastiness, intimidation and obscenity comes from the anti-Israel commenters.
Not to mention that most of the 'conversation' at such places consists largely of vile accusations and lies repeatedly being tossed at us by them, and our merely defending ourselves and combating lies.
(After all, there's a reason why, when I went on an architectural preservation-focused walking tour of Jewish Philadelphia last year, the one still-active Jewish school we passed was the only fenced-in-and-heavily-secured religious institution amongst numerous churches and religious schools of other creeds and denominations in that part of Old City)
Delete@oldschooltwentysix: Hi, thanks for your comment. We have noticed and deleted the comment. At first, we thought it would be more welcoming to people to be able to comment without registering. But we are considering the deletion of the feature to prevent such comments.
ReplyDelete@JayinPhiladelphia: As the commenter was anonymous, we don't know which side the commenter was on. However, such comments are not accepted and will be deleted on our site. FNOTW hopes to see you join us.
Thanks.
Best,
Le
Well, I could take a guess as to what side they were on. Considering that most folks won't respond with obscene tirades to comments that they agree with...
Delete