Bias? Naaaaaahhhhhh.
Email exchange I had recently with Charles Kravetz, president of the extraordinarily biased (yes, even for the mainstream media, and even for the Boston area)
New England Cable "News."
He accuses me of being "angry," "self-righteous," and "biased" because I disagree with his biased reporting...and he's damned condescending about it, too. Yet he's under the delusion that he's actually having some sort of "dialogue" with me (though he doesn't use that exact word, to be fair).
Money quote, for those with limited tolerance for reading through MSM shite:
"You really need to stop listening exclusively to those who would paint everyone in the media (except FOX) as close-minded, cynical and uninterested in your views. I am interested, despite our differences."
Emails are separated by rows of asterisks.
******
From: Reginleif
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 1:20 PM
To:
TVBlog
Subject: "Seeds of Peace"
I note that once more, NECN is flogging the tired concept of the "Seeds of Peace" camp, at which Israeli and Palestinian youngsters meet, play games, and supposedly learn to "co-exist in harmony."
These hold-hands-and-sing-"Kumbaya"-style projects are based on the supposition that two warring peoples will stop warring if they come to "understand each other" sufficiently.
Perhaps it's never occurred to the head-in-the-clouds sorts who run them that people war because they understand each other all too well. It's been long observed that few wars as as vicious as civil wars, and that hatred within actual families is more powerful than hatred of those who aren't related to one.
Golda Meir said 30 years ago, "There will be peace in the Middle East when the Arabs begin to love their children more than they hate Jews." How prophetic she was. And how willfully ignorant of this simple widsom the rest of the world, especially the media, remains.
-- R.S., Everett
******
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 10:11:04 -0400
Thread-Topic: "Seeds of Peace"
Thread-Index: AcSC7E9D2CgvsAGZRQ6VnJk+c2F0KwArhTAw
From:
"Charles Kravetz"
To: "Reginleif"
Dear R.S. Thanks for writing NECN. Hatred is learned. So is love and tolerance. That is, as much as anything, the lessons of Seeds of Peace. Apparently you have a better idea for peace in the Middle East. Perhaps you should act on that. All our best. NECN
******
To: "Charles Kravetz"
From: Reginleif
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:08:27 -0400
Goodness. What a snarky email. Defensive much?
And NECN wonders why people criticize it for bias and watch FOX News instead.
"Telling it like it is"....what a joke.
[What follows the delimiter below in each of my emails, in case anyone was unclear, is a .sig line.]
--
...people who have self-righteousness like some people have bad breath.
— P.J. O'Rourke, description of a World Council of Churches delegation to a rally in Washington
******
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:08:27 -0400
Thread-Topic: "Seeds of Peace"
Thread-Index: AcSDp/7n5MuNLkSjT5KHjtj8bj6+ZQACqwFQ
From: "Charles Kravetz"
To: "Reginleif"
R.S. Surely you have greater self awareness than your email suggests. Defensive? Snarky? Check out your own email. FOX News plays to your own biases. That's why you think it's "fair and balanced." As to P.J. O'Rourke's quote at the end of your email, I have rarely come across a more self-righteous critique than yours. We'll continue to tell it like it is. NECN
******
To: "Charles Kravetz"
From: Reginleif
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
Date: Monday, August 16, 2004 (1:33 PM EDT)
Goodness, such projection. And condescension as well.
NECN plays to the biases of elitist liberal Northeasterners. As you are one of them, you consider yourself to be "telling it like it is," and FOX to be "biased."
As for your critique of my critique, NECN and other mainstream media (particularly the odious
Boston Globe) have perfected the art of self-righteousness, especially wherever President Bush, Israel, terrorism, and any other controversial subjects are involved. You believe yourselves to hold the only correct beliefs, and that anyone who differs with you is (1) deluded, (2) stupid, or (3) evil.
The "Kumbaya" approach to seeking peace in the Middle East has led to the deliberate deaths of hundreds of Jews. These deaths seem to receive less priority in the mainstream media than do the killings of Palestinians intent on murder, the occasional and unintentional killing of an unarmed Palestinian civilian (I count rocks as arms), and even the "humiliation" of Arabs at checkpoints that were purposely set up to keep them from blowing up more Jews.
I consider myself to be much more justified in getting self-righteous over the above than I consider you to be justified in getting self-righteous over having your idiotically idealistic, and utterly lethal, worldview challenged.
Apparently you and the other "gatekeepers" in the media are still not accustomed to the fact that the "masses" are no longer passively receiving your Wisdom From On High, but seeking out alternative sources of information. To you, we are not your customers or consumers; we are your sheep.
But hey, keep on telling it like it isn't. After all, there are plenty of other fools who will keep on watching. Those of us with a clue will be elsewhere on the dial, or, more likely, on the Internet, getting real news.
--
A few years ago I simply got tired of pretending that I could have a serious discussion with those people. I changed my registration to Republican and I take great pride in letting that fact be known whenever I get dragged into some discussion at government or academic meetings. I usually get looks like I just dropped cat turds into my white wine. And I love every minute of it.
— Scott in East Bay, describing San Francisco hippies on
LGF
******
[I can't find the original of this email; here, I've copied the quoted material from my reply to it.]
"I consider myself to be much more justified in getting self-righteous over the above than I consider you to be justified in getting self-righteous over having your idiotically idealistic, and utterly lethal, worldview challenged"
R.S. At least you are willing to admit that you are self-righteous. Now if you could get rid of some of that anger, you might be able to see that yours is not the only way to look at Israel, the Middle East, or anything else. Our story on "Seeds of Peace" takes no position on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the wall, Sharon, Arafat, who is right or wrong, or even how to resolve this age old conflict. In truth, you have no idea what I think or believe about this matter because it is not germaine to my job or that of NECN. If you want a particular spin on this, go to the "No Spin Zone" of FOX NewsChannel and they will tell you what you want to hear.
******
To: "Charles Kravetz"
From: Reginleif
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
You know, I really have to wonder why the president of a large regional cable channel, who presumably has better things to do with his time, is so invested in trying to change the mind of someone who not only has no media connections and therefore no influence, but whom he is highly unlikely ever to woo back as a viewer.
I guess I struck a nerve.
--
The average democrat voter is ... a senile social security recipient who thinks she's voting for FDR, a welfare recipient who thinks the World Court is the show that comes on between 'Judge Joe Brown' and 'Divorce Court,' or a stoned-out hippie-dippie activist who thinks all OBL needs is to get laid/stoned/hugged and he'd be all right.
Issues ... and even the correct spelling ... of national sovereignty are well beyond the grasp of 80-90% of the democrat voting bloc.
— V the K, on littlegreenfootballs.com
****
Subject: RE: "Seeds of Peace"
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 17:44:04 -0400
Thread-Topic: "Seeds of Peace"
Thread-Index: AcSD0CCYE9ubKaPKRr+hOKN3yv/cOAACTduQ
From: "Charles Kravetz"
To: "Reginleif"
R.S. I am fully aware that I am "highly unlikely" to woo you back. That's not the point. I find this interchange interesting which is the only reason I continue it. Sometimes, there is nothing I should better do than converse with my viewers, even if I take issue with their positions. You are wrong about one thing. As a viewer, you DO have influence and your opinion matters, despite your apparent lack of "media connections." You really need to stop listening exclusively to those who would paint everyone in the media (except FOX) as close-minded, cynical and uninterested in your views. I am interested, despite our differences. I wish you the best.