12 August, 2006

The Other Side of the Coin - Sky News

Don't know how many of you had a chance to see this.
Posted by efatima at 5:59 pm

15 comments:

psamtani said...

Of all the things they could've done to promote the Israeli cause, this is one of the best. People have been complaining that the media has been showing far too much Israeli propaganda while portraying itself as fair and balanced.

So what does the media do in response... get a person to speak for the Arabs, but make sure he's a raving lunatic. A man who's been on Celebrity Big Brother and smoked cigars with Saddam. A man who shouts at the reporter instead of presenting a coherent argument.

This doesn't help the Lebanese cause at all, it simply confirms the belief that only madmen are opposed to Israel. I can't believe anyone is praising this and acting like this is helping. It's a media ploy, peoples.

12 August, 2006 19:54
psamtani said...

The problem is that the pro-Muslim people that they like to show in the media are nuts. There are voices of reason arguing for the Arab world, but they aren't heard.

Bush by the way, is a classic example of a madman speaking for the west. He doesn't appeal to Muslims at all. Similarly, Galloway does not appeal to Westerners.

You need higher credibility people with more balanced viewpoints on both sides in the media - unfortunately the only intelligent people shown by the media are pro-US/Israel (this doesnt mean that Muslims are unintelligent, rather that the media avoids intelligent Muslims).

12 August, 2006 20:35
secretdubai said...

Similarly, Galloway does not appeal to Westerners.

He does to me. He's superb value.

12 August, 2006 21:28
Anonymous said...

Balushi:

If you liked that clip check this one out:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14415.htm

12 August, 2006 22:50
Anonymous said...

i saw him several time on interrviews and he's always like this, no bullshit, no masks, no stupid apolgotic language; dont give a damn about conventioanl "wisdom" and stick his finger in their eyes befor they nock him out. and he lwaite f ro the best par to the last! a good kick to sky in the face and theuy desrve it.

13 August, 2006 00:33
marwan said...

Psamtani is bang on, people are nuts if they think Galloway is an "asset" to the Muslim cause. He's nothing more than a crank, a contrarian.

As I recall, he also went to the US and testified to Congress and pulled much the same stunt there. Now while it may make Muslims feel good that someone is so vocally pro-Muslim to,
an person unversed in the conflict has no reason to believe this ranting man. He comes off as another Speaker's Corner crank.

Take a leaf from the Israeli lobby. Look how absolutely, utterly, smooth they are. They're always, always on the wrong side; however, they argue with such reason and calmness that it's hard to connect brutality and their erudite spokespeople.

And for Muslims who wish for a leader like Galloway - do you really want that? Don't you have him already, people who know how to push your patriotic buttons, promising the world and delivering nothing?

Far better for Muslims to upgrade their thinking, instead of expecting the world to come round to them.

13 August, 2006 04:00
bandicoot said...

marwan – Gallaway is a fiery and passionate person, but not a phony jester. I may not fully endorse his approach and choice of language (and even presentation of facts) as most effective; but his lack of "credibility' really has less to do with this and more with where he stands and with his uncompromising challenge of the shamelessly biased and stereotypical discourse that guides the mainstream politics and media in many western countries. I’d be harsher on him if the people at Fix news for example were such neutral guardians of journalistic integrity, but they’re not.

They can't stand him because he is not playing by their rules; he reminds them constantly that their rules are flawed, one-sided and suck. I've watched very different approaches, calm and collected and smart advocates of Arab and Muslim causes (e.g .the late Edward Said) who perhaps were a bit more smooth and effective, but on the whole were still marginal and excluded, and even vilified to some extent.

Also, I don't know how you describe Israeli spokespersons as "eudite". Do you really believe that the likes of Dan Gillerman, Avi Pazner, Ranaan Gissin, Miri Eisen, and the rest of this bombastic gang of vicious liars and boring parrots with zero believability and in-your-face disdain for reason and logic and fairness are eloquent voices? I think not.

13 August, 2006 10:17
bandicoot said...

I swear to God that "Fix news" was an unintended mistake; but I guess it fits them just right; divine intervention?! please forgive other less creative mistakes....

13 August, 2006 13:55
Tainted Female said...

Ok, so I started to type up a comment on this and it became a little too long to be placed here. You can find it instead in my blog,Here, if you’re interested.

13 August, 2006 14:31
marwan said...

George Galloway is popular with the Muslims because, on the surface, he agrees with them. He has himself publicly noted his popularity with the Muslims, which makes his motives suspect. One should wonder, why exactly he supports the Muslims so vocally? Maybe it's a matter of attempting to catch the zeitgest.

Of course, most Muslims aren't aware of his Big Brother cat-and-leotard-antics. They are also probably unaware of his involvement in cash-for-coverage of the corrupt Pakistani goverments. They'd doubtless be displeased by his attitude towards homosexuality. Personally, I doubt they'd be so eager to support a man who'd be so willing to make a fool of himself on national television, in the name of cheap publicity.

Galloway isn't a maverick. As I said before, he's the equivalent of the ranting man in the corner, who speaks loudly but without authority.
I'd equate his "straight shooter" approach with the folksy one of Bush - both are simply playing to different audiences, but meet similar responses. They also meet equally unfriendly responses from hostile audiences.

I'd hardly describe Edward Said as "marginal."

And yes, I'd readily describe Israeli spokesmen so. I have no stake in this conflict. I can separate the message and the speaker. So yes, those Israelis are smooth sons-of-bitches.

It's called, "knowing your audience." In America, people prefer those who speak with clear unambiguity and unshakeable moral authority. The Israelis are purpose-trained to react under fire, because nearly every interview they do is such an instance. They don't raise their voice or rant, Galloway-style - they simply explain their position. To an impartial observer, it sounds calm and reassuring. Of course, they're dispersing a pack of lies, but the Americans don't know that. And why should they? The image of Jewish people they get from the media and reality is non-violent, similar in nature to themselves. The Arab representatives have yet to achieve anywhere near that level of influence, and it's because they've taken "a higher moral ground" of not working Congress (sufficiently). Or the low ground of Galloway, who comes off like a third rate ringmaster.

So it's not surprising the Israeli PR machine is more effective.

13 August, 2006 17:19
psamtani said...

Exactly. The Israelis know how to communicate effectively, that is why they've managed to convince the world that they are in the right despite having always been in the wrong.

Also, I'm not one of those who thinks the Zionists are heartless - I'm aware of their history and I feel for them. But I cannot accept what Israel has been doing in Palestine. Yet, I'm in constant admiration of what they've been able to achieve. And that's because they are able to assess the impact of their actions. If the Arab World learnt anything from Israel, they would not let idiots like Galloway be their public face.

13 August, 2006 21:49
Tainted Female said...

'that is why they've managed to convince the world that they are in the right despite having always been in the wrong.'

I don't know who your world consists of, but I assure you, mine is far wider than the US & UK... And mine isn't that convinced!

14 August, 2006 02:40
marwan said...

Doesn't matter how the world perceives Israel. The only constituencies that count are Europe and America and they've got those two sewn up.

14 August, 2006 05:33
bandicoot said...

I'd never say Edward Said was marginal. He was an intellectual heavyweight and his body of work on literature, politics, history, music, etc. is simply astounding. He also left a legacy of peace, humanity, tolerance and higher moral values that will endure forever. What I meant was that in the field of media appearances and despite his sympathetic approach, amazing eloquence, and solid arguments, his overall effect on changing perceptions within the media and at the level of public opinion was very modest if not marginal. It’s no fault of Said; it just shows the immense power of counter perceptions, the dominance of the pro-Israel lobby and the level to which the media itself (mainly in the US) is entrenched in its biased and shallow perspective of the Arab-Israel issue.

14 August, 2006 16:45
bandicoot said...

I don’t imagine the Arabs chose Galloway to be their spokesperson; he’s one of a very small number of westerners willing to say things that please Arabs and Muslims. Of course he is a politician, first and foremost, and as such he’s going to be (at least some of the time) an opportunist, play t the audience, etc.; but to the extent he plays outside of the conventional rules (both in terms of style and content) he is also a maverick. That is nota moral judgment, praise, or condemnation. I personally wouldn’t choose him to be my spokesperson. Whether Arabs and Muslims are getting more positive or negative from his advocacy of their causes, I don’t know, and I’d be surprised if anybody knows for sure.

14 August, 2006 17:08

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