When Pundits Just Don't Get It, Part Forever

The ever-earnest Nick Kristof delivers "When Whites Just Don’t Get It, Part 5" and calls for a national racial reconciliation board (following the South African model) to address the racial gulf in this country.

Back in reality (although only inches away in my Dead Tree edition), Ross Douthat explains that fostering racial antagonism will remain a key part of our political life:

Ultimately, being optimistic about race requires being optimistic about the ability of our political coalitions to offer colorblind visions of the American dream — the left’s vision stressing economics more heavily, the right leaning more on family and community, but both promising gains and goods and benefits that can be shared by Americans of every racial background.

In the Obama era, though, neither coalition has done a very good job selling such a vision, because neither knows how to deliver on it. (The left doesn’t know how to get wages rising again; the right doesn’t know how to shore up the two-parent family, etc.) Which has left both parties increasingly dependent on identity-politics appeals, with the left mobilizing along lines of race, ethnicity and gender and the right mobilizing around white-Christian-heartland cultural anxieties.

For a while the media has assumed that this kind of identity-based politics inevitably favors the left, because 21st-century America is getting less white every day.

But that’s too simplistic, in part because the definitions of “white” and “minority” are historically elastic. If a “white party” seems sufficiently clueless and reactionary, it will lose ground to a multicultural coalition. But as African-Americans know from bitter experience, “whiteness” has sustained itself by the inclusion of immigrants as well as by the exclusion and oppression of blacks. That history suggests that a “multicultural party” may always be at risk of being redefined as a grievance-based “party of minorities” that many minorities would prefer to leave behind.

At the state and local level plenty of politicos from both sides of the aisle will ensure their fundraising success and continued power by promoting division rather than reconciliation. At the Presidential level only one of the strategies can succeed, but if the losing side is competitive and can envision success in the next cycle, the politics of division can continue for quite a while.

Comments

[Jane]

Yippee!

[Captain Hate]

Weren't we supposed to be post racial under 404? Have any of the pundits pointed out this disconnect?

[Jane]

I think those pundits love being racial. I don't get it, but since most are dumb as tacks, I really don't expect to.

[boris]

Based on Ferguson and Trayvon it's the multicults that don't get it.

[GMax]

Civil War about to break out in the Liar Party:

Deval Patrick: Sense of Hillary Clinton Entitlement is ‘Off-Putting’ To Voters

[anonamom]

rse, you asked if there's a certain personality type that "just loses it" in their 40s--how about just about every sleep-deprived peri-menopausal woman I know?
Especially those with middle school aged children who need to be driven everywhere and elderly-ish parents who are becoming feeble.

[henry]

once you define a village as the unit of measure, groups must be put in conflict with each other. Competition = War, etc. the lack of thought among pundits parallels the lack of innovation among cronies. They are so afraid of someone else getting a slightly larger slice of pie that they want to ban pies.

[DrJ]

Off

[Sandy "I Stand with Walker 2016" Daze ن]

"whites" and I'd say it is connotes an attitude more than skin pigmentation or lack thereof, should stress those things that have made America the last best chance, the refuge and the success it has, is, and will be:

1) Rule of Law

2) Primacy of the family

3) Subsidiarity, that is, doing whatever can and should be done between members of a community, doing that at the lowest governmental level possible.
No problem that can be solved at a local level should be solved by a higher level. Thus, townspeople take care of their town, and if they cannot manage, then the county helps, and if the county cannot assist, then the State. If beyond the States ken, then the Federal government. The Federal government has clearly enumerated powers, beyond those, I'd argue that "whites" or the "white attitude" could make a compelling case, for disengagement. It is the Law, and "whites" should be for the "Rule of Law" (and resist, with every fiber of their being, the "Law of Rule.")

4) Solidarity, that is, keeping faith with your fellow man, closest to you, and expanding in circles outward.

Immigrants, legal and otherwise, flock to America, because of one simple reason, the "Rule of Law." They don't come here for the weather, they come here to escape their clepto-auto-dicto-islamo-fascisto forms of government, which always,Always, ALWAYS has a thumb of the scale of human opportunity, picking winners and losers.

Americans believe in the Freedoms:
- of Opportunity, to succeed or fail on YOUR OWN merits,
- to offer one's children a better life than they themselves had
- to be free from the knock on a door at night, to be dragged away, and never be heard from again,
- to put food on the table and a roof over the bed.

These four freedoms, unencumbered by the thumb of injustice makes America special. In short, The Freedom to live one's life in a society governed by the RULE OF LAW, and not the LAW OF RULE, is America's great gift, and America's Great opportunity.

Ask any Latino coming north, about the scale of justice from whence they flee...

If "Whites" want to capture the market, demand the Freedom of a society based upon the Rule of Law.

2¢

[Iggy]

That part of welfare, which rewards broken families and the rest which fosters government dependence and all of it which makes poverty permanent is largely to blame for the social pathologies afflicting minorities, and poor whites for that matter.
The left feeds, lamprey like, on those pathologies and has a vested interest in their continuance and expansion.
Is there anyone in the GOP with the guts to not only point these truths out but to promise to abolish the programs and for the first time in many decades break the cycle of misery and hopelessness?

[new lurker]

Iggy, Giuliani said as much on the television during an interview and was blasted and attacked by the libs. No conservatives backed him up--sigh.

[Jack is Back!]

I double up Sandy's 2 cents to make it 4 cents.

I would add; freedom to worship, attend church and live a spiritual life. Today in mass it was warming to see so many families with children. The choir and musicians were all kids including 3 young male teens playing violin.

I wonder how many of the young thugs trained by Lisa Fithian and marketed by Michael Latt have ever attended those churches in Ferguson they tried to burn to the ground? But I bet those kids from the Alpha Omega Theta Christian Fraternity do - every Sunday - before they go out and clean up the mess left by others.

[MarkO]

Show me a city with "Whites only" restaurants and hotels. Show me a city with black and white drinking fountains. Show me a country that refuses to elect a black man.

Horseshit.

[Carol_Herman]

"Riot" my food. Street theater! And, it won't go unnoticed. Years from now, the topic will still be in circulation. And? Ferguson never recovers.

Well? There are still people of color living in Watts.

[Carol_Herman]

The riot/street theater was made possible by the free money that comes with owning an EBT card.

[WarrenPeese]

The irony is that Kristof says, "But let's talk," but the comments section is closed. It tells me he'd rather tell than talk.

[Jane]

Don Surber has a good article on why Ferguson should not rebuild. I agree. Instead they should headquarter the IRS and EPA there, and build a federal jail.

[Sandy "I Stand with Walker 2016" Daze ن]

test

[andycanuck]

And move the NYT's offices there, Jane (at 12:52).

[Threadkiller]

Does he mention birthers?

[henry]

Andycanuck, at the rate there going, the NYT offices will fit in one of those now empty strip malls.

[James D.]

Douthat is a moron of the first order. "The right doesn't know how to shore up the two parent family" ?

He could spend an hour reading here. But he'd have to clean his toga afterwards, so I guess that's out.

[clarice]

I couldn't agree more with Surber: "Obama is a courtesan of the very rich. From Forbes magazine on July 18, 2012: "Mitt Romney gets a lot of heat for his billionaire donors, but President Obama has his fair share of support from the country’'s richest, too. Forbes counted well over a hundred billionaires who’ have been invited to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. since Obama’'s inauguration, some of whom have thrown parties to fund-raise for the President and given big to both his campaign and super PACs supporting him."

The riots serve his greater purpose to cleanse the nation of the middle class. Efforts to portray this unprovoked violence on long-standing racial problems are bogus. This is class warfare by government-funded poverty cases and more than 100 billionaires against the middle class. Our values of freedom and self-reliance threaten the efforts of billionaires to rule and control."

[Jack is Back!]

JamesD,

To paraphrase Ronaldus Maximus: When you go to bed with the New York Times you get more than a good night's sleep.

Have a late evening flight home so I get to watch the G-men play the Jags. How nice:)

[Iggy]

Does F Chuck still consider Barry nourishing?

Barry; Chuck Todd is "sad".

One thing about being a sycophant to a narcissist; you don't get to go halfway.

[Iggy]

The country will have made progress when someone with a brain [which leaves Kristoff off the list] can write a series entitled "When Blacks Just Don't Get It" and have people consider what he says rather than riot.

There are two black Americas; one successful, one not.
The successful one still believes in hard work, a strong family and never giving in to the victim role.
The unsuccessful one has bought into the victim role and the government handout and is in deep trouble. The vast majority of the negative statistics relating to blacks comes from the second group.

Incredibly, the Dem party now considers it a success when it has pushed more of the first group into the second, proudly announcing how the EBT rolls are surging and signing as many blacks up as possible to make-work, dead-end, useless internships and jobs programs which lead nowhere and bestow nothing but stigma in the real world or simply crowing about expanding welfare nannyism.

Black conservatives are the greatest threat to this modern day, even more cynical plantation, which is why Dems try to destroy them. Why the GOP doesn't do more to recruit and promote them I don't know but they are doing better than before.

[RickB]

"Is there anyone in the GOP with the guts to not only point these truths out but to promise to abolish the programs and for the first time in many decades break the cycle of misery and hopelessness?"

Iggy,

Walker broke the cycle and wasn't shy about pointing out obvious cause and effect wrt the public unions sucking the state treasury dry. He then withstood rather severe attack twice and provided solid electoral disproof regarding the inevitable success of the progressive movement.

I don't see any particular benefit to bombastic utterance regarding the bleeding obvious before the blast radius of the O-bomb is determined in '16. I'm more concerned about Zombie RomBush at the moment. We need a better nail gun for the coffin lid or "compassionate conservatism" will finish the progs task for them.

[Danube on iPad]

"Is there anyone in the GOP with the guts to not only point these truths out but to promise to abolish the programs?"

If such a person emerges he will not win a national election. Free shit can never be taken away.

[sbw]

I am tired of the bigotry that paints me as less than normal because of the color of my skin. I am bullied by the media, by groups of people playing identity politics, by teachers in schools, and by a reactionary government that treats their favorites as special.

Racism is alive, in every corner of the country, in plain sight.

[Jack is Back!]

May I inject a little sad humor?

RT @MarshallLocke: @instapundit And a photo from a Future Barista of America:

[Miss Marple]

HA! Jack, I saw that about the same time you did.

Pitiful!

[lyle]

Sound a little lecture-y, sbw.

[RickB]

SBW,

You're not alone.

Now take a number and think '16.

[Danube on iPad]

"Farrakhan stated in his speech — given at Morgan State University, a black college located in Baltimore, Md. — that violence was justified in response to the decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson and peaceful protests are only in the interest of 'white folks.'

"'We going to die anyway. Let’s die for something,' the radical figure told the crowd to roaring applause.

"He even said the parents of teenagers should teach their kids how to throw Molotov cocktails. 'Teach your baby how to throw the bottle if they can. Fight,' the minister advised, and then imitated throwing the explosive device.

"Farrakhan argued that violence was justified by the “law of retaliation” HE claims is in both the Bible and the Koran.

“'In this book, there’s a law for retaliation,' he said, while holding up what appeared to be the NOI version of the Koran, and repeated, 'A law for retaliation.'"

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

The NOI version of the Koran? Porn with bad grammar?

[Sandy "I Stand with Walker 2016" Daze ن]

YCSTA:

Walker broke the cycle and wasn't shy about pointing out obvious cause and effect wrt the public unions sucking the state treasury dry. He then withstood rather severe attack twice and provided solid electoral disproof regarding the inevitable success of the progressive movement.

I don't see any particular benefit to bombastic utterance regarding the bleeding obvious before the blast radius of the O-bomb is determined in '16. I'm more concerned about Zombie RomBush at the moment. We need a better nail gun for the coffin lid or "compassionate conservatism" will finish the progs task for them.

Thanks, RickB

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Lovie Smith versus Marvin Lewis: NFL Reparations

[Sandy "I Stand with Walker 2016" Daze ن]

300 Airstrikes in over two months (1) VS the IS is not quite what occurred in just three days during the 78 day

Operation Allied Force (2).

"...the Alliance held together during 78 days of air strikes in which more than 38,000 sorties – 10,484 of them

strike sorties – were flown without a single Allied fatality."

(1) http://tinyurl.com/oy4r6x8
(2) http://tinyurl.com/ndovjz6

[Miss Marple]

Did you guys know that Chuck Todd has written a book about Obama? It is called "The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House."

[narciso]

Calypso Gene (last name escapes) was influenced more by the Arab nationalism of Muammar, than the other current, which is Wahhabi, something that is rarely mentioned, he was making this argument back in 1991, before the riots,

As usual Brenthuber, Wilson's atty and Guiliani were on point, whereas the rest were warbling 'Man of the La Mancha'

[jimmyk]

If such a person emerges he will not win a national election. Free shit can never be taken away.

Yes, because we saw how Clinton became unelectable after his 1996 welfare reform. Wait, what?

[Miss Marple]

http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Barack-Obama-White-House/dp/031607957X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417377734&sr=8-1&keywords=Chuck+Todd

Do read the reviews. Bwahahahaha!

[jimmyk]

Weren't we supposed to be post racial under 404? Have any of the pundits pointed out this disconnect?

The pundits' response, rather than blame Obama for his failure (in fact, for making matters worse), is that it's all white people's fault.

And the "worse" is not that white racism is worse, it's that blacks are more race-conscious and, spurred on by Holder and Obama, more inclined to blame others for their own failures and social pathologies.

[Frau]

Test...

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I thought that title by F Chuck was an Onion parody.

Yes, Calypso Louie was bankrolled by Khadaffy Duck.

[Iggy]

--If such a person emerges he will not win a national election. Free shit can never be taken away.

Posted by: Danube on iPad | November 30, 2014 at 01:55 PM --

How do we know an untested hypothesis is false?

[Iggy]

--Did you guys know that Chuck Todd has written a book about Obama? It is called "The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House."--

The book was what occasioned Barry to call Chuck "sad".
Anything short of hagiography provokes the serpent's tooth.

[Danube on iPad]

I would say that the failure to test the hypothesis (that free shit can't be taken away) tells us a great deal about its validity.

[Danube on iPad]

God do the Chargers suck.

[rich@gmu]

afternoon everyone ...

>>>Free shit can never be taken away.<<<

Welfare reform in the 1990's. The student loan reforms of the 1980's.

Granted those reforms have been undermined and created their own problems but it can be done.

>>>The left doesn’t know how to get wages rising again<<<

Does the left care to get wages rising again? Immigration and Keynesian economic programs would seem to undermine the premise.

[rich@gmu]

and the Redskins getting turned into a mash ...

42-24

[narciso]

I understand the current reticense, but ending up in Volodya's bear hug seems foolish:

http://www.france24.com/en/20141130-france-national-front-europe-far-right-leaders-marine-le-pen-wilders-russia/

[RickB]

Sandy,

In March we should celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Daniel Patrick Moynihan's The Negro Family: The Case For National Action which contained every bleeding heart rationalization identifiable at the time. Th celebration should include acknowledgement and concession of complete defeat in The War on Poverty with a pledge to return to the status quo antebellum in the shortest time possible.

It's the only fair thing to do.

[RickB]

Sandy,

In March we should celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Daniel Patrick Moynihan's The Negro Family: The Case For National Action which contained every bleeding heart rationalization identifiable at the time. Th celebration should include acknowledgement and concession of complete defeat in The War on Poverty with a pledge to return to the status quo antebellum in the shortest time possible.

It's the only fair thing to do.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Brian Hoyer has really gotten badly exposed today. Too bad, I was hoping he'd do better.

[narciso]

By the way, there's been another attack on the Bastion, which has been going on for the last
three days (h/t Bill Roggio)

[Sandy "I Stand with Walker 2016" Daze ن]

I cannot resist... ;~))

YCSTA:

In March we should celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Daniel Patrick Moynihan's The Negro Family: The Case For National Action which contained every bleeding heart rationalization identifiable at the time. Th celebration should include acknowledgement and concession of complete defeat in The War on Poverty with a pledge to return to the status quo antebellum in the shortest time possible.

It's the only fair thing to do.

Thnx, RickB

[rich@gmu]

... and the Raiders ... the Raiders.

[Iggy]

I'd say it tells us a lot more about the cowardice of the right in testing it in this country.

Eastern Europe demonstrates a good deal of free shit can be taken away as to varying degrees do Chile, China, Mozambique, India and others.

[narciso]

some might consider it an unnecessary admission, one thing for certain, Bratton has proven Guiliani ultimately right:

[Iggy]

What's a Raider?

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

And the NFL career of Johnny Football begins with an 80 yard touchdown drive.

[jimmyk]

I would say that the failure to test the hypothesis (that free shit can't be taken away) tells us a great deal about its validity.

And the ignoring of inconvenient facts tells us a great deal about the validity as well.

[daddy]

I have no interest in any of this Kristof reconciliation nonsense until the Brown family publicly and sincerely apologizes for their thug son's behavior against the minority shopkeeper, and then they tell us how it is that they happened to raise a child that was so ungentle and so disrespectful of other humans. That is step one.

[maryrose]

CH: It's Buffalo-the team we consistently believe we can beat so we don't take them seriously. What has to happen before they put Johnny Football in?
RickB: Amen
JIB: yes faith and good works really do bring a family and a community together. Obama'a way tears them apart.He polarizes everything he touches.
He and Holder have set back relations between our diverse nation back 50 years.
It is a depressing topic to contemplate. I am going to continue to treat everyone equally well. I will not take away anyone else's rights. I will not destroy property. I will not falsely accuse others. I will not bully others. These are all things that the dems do and we witness the result of their wrongdoing each day. I will not lie to achieve an end.{see Gruber" for the how to manual.
Yes clarice, I believe you are correct that the really rich want to rule the rest of us. Little do they know who they are dealing with in this endeavor. We won't go down without a fight.

[Jane]

Did he even live with his parents? Are they married? It's amazing how easily the thought of a pay-off can unite people.

[narciso]

it's a mythical creature like the basilisk or the puyallop, why else do the keep the match off the main channels,

so it's State of Nature, out there, but apparently the only narrative available are the freedomwriters,

[maryrose]

CH: I see they have put Johnny in- Now we have a plan...
Cavs are at about 500 in their season so far. Indians overall 500 team. Hey this is an upgrade for us. I hope we win today.

[maryrose]

narciso: what do you mean by the only narrative available being the freedom-writers?

[narciso]

freedom riders, however Dasha Jones among others suggest a different picture

[maryrose]

Jane; Unfortunately in this day and age we have become a nation of grifters. It is always about the payoff.

[daddy]

Giants lose. They're 3 and 9.

Are the they lucky enough to have the Raiders on their remaining schedule?

[Captain Hate]

maryrose, I'm a Hoyer fan but he didn't look good in the first half. The team squandered a lot of scoring opportunities and unfortunately a lot of that falls on the shoulders of the QB. The Bills are a good team and if you don't take advantage of things against them they can make you pay.

[James D.]

Nope, daddy. Titans, Redskins, Rams and Eagles.

I've been on Team Coughlin no matter how bad things have gotten the last couple of seasons, but I'm officially done. It's time for total housecleaning. Coughlin must go. The GM, Jerry Reese, must go. The defensive coordinator must go.

There is no excuse in this world for blowing a 21-0 lead against a team that was 1-10 going into the game. None.

[Captain Hate]

The Cavs have won three in a row and are starting to play like a team. With or without LeBron, you need at least 20 games to evaluate how a team is doing under a new head coach. The Cavs have played 15 and all the Chicken Littles need to STFU.

Bolts take the lead.

[daddy]

James D,

I don't watch them enough to know but it looks to me like Eli is getting comfortable and/or complacent about losing, and that ain't acceptable if you want to win in the NFL. Maybe "resigned to losing" is the phrase.

DoT's River's gets the job done. Can the Charger Defense not screw up in the remaining 32 seconds?

Doom:)

[narciso]

this is what I was referring to earlier:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/11/taliban_assault_camp.php

[Miss Marple]

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201412/least-influential-people-2014

"2. Barack Obama

Why are you still on Martha's Vineyard?! Missouri is BURNING. Putin is conquering Europe. The CDC is playing nude Twister with Ebola patients. U2 is forcing bad songs on everyone. The NSA won't stop watching me masturbate. I need you ON THIS. Are you even president anymore? When Obama got blasted for golfing shortly after ISIS beheaded journalist James Foley, he said, "I should've anticipated the optics." How do you win the presidency without knowing that golfing makes you look rich and indifferent?"

I am SO happy to see him slammed in leftie publications, even though they are a day late and a dollar short. The reason I am happy is I know it burns him up. HA!

[narciso]

about 10 dollars late, and they took a shot at the Huntress for good measure,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/11/video-snipers-take-position-atop-ferguson-rooftops-protesters-very-upset-video/

more aware than Esquire that thinks Ebola was a made up panic

[Miss Marple]

narciso, True. However, in olden times it would have been just the Huntress, so I consider it progress.

[Danube on iPad]

List those inconvenient facts for me and I'll tell you whether I ignored them.

[narciso]

In the 2008 race, the nominee was someone who had pursued amnesty to the point of insolvency, and was not averse to health reform, so that doesn't appear to be a real contrast, in the last campaign, one could look at 'repeal and replace' that way, but it wasn't explicitly spelled out, so neither contest fits those parameters,

[Comanche Voter]

What the heck, if George Zimmerman can be a "white hispanic', then even Al Sharpton can be a white man.

[Danube on iPad]

I denounced the Bolts prematurely.

That game featured 22 penalties for a total of 179 yards. Teams are simply no longer allowed to defend against the pass.

[Beasts of England]

The stupidity and desperation of the left is obvious if they think 'racism' will give them anything but a quicker ride to minority status.

I often read the comment sections of blogs and newspapers to assess the zeitgeist on issues. As recently as a few years ago, the leftist position on racial issues was rarely questioned. Not true today. The progs are getting slattered quantitatively and logically. It's a significant change for the better.

When I see Farrakhan saying G-D America as he did the other day; when I see the idiot protesters carrying commie flags; when I see the American flag being burned and stomped on -- I can only say: Screw 'em. Let them suffer. I no longer care about the left or their allies.

[narciso]

get ready for your skin to crawl, there was a Powell boomlet for Sec Def on Rove News Sunday, I don't know if that is a product placement by
Prince Talal or what else is motivating it,

[Captain Hate]

Calypso Louie lives around 404's abode in Shitcargo, no? Not exactly residing in da Hood.

Yes I thought I caught a whiff of Colon Bowel on Rove News Sunday.

[clarice]

All of my ancestors arrived here years after the slaves were freed from slaveholders like Michelle Obama's ancestors.

In Wisconsin where I was born thousands of young men gave their limbs and lives to free the slaves from people like Michelle's ancestors.

Enough.

[Captain Hate]

Roll Pack Roll.

[Steve]

Star Wars: Episode VII Trailer - George Lucas' Special Edition

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2014/11/star-wars-episode-vii-trailer-george.html

[Captain Hate]

Do any of you long term Pac-10 fans (DoT and some others I'm sure; maybe ManTran) remember Aaron Rodgers at Cal? When he dueled Kurt Warner in that scoreboard breaker of a wild card game, it was pretty obvious he was a very good QB but he is now in a zone of his own. I wanna know if he was lighting it up in kollidge.

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

I'm done with football now too. Pink shoes & this nonsense -

http://weaselzippers.us/206797-5-7-team-going-nowhere-st-louis-rams-come-onto-field-with-hands-up-dont-shoot-pose/

[DrJ]

CH,

I don't remember a lot about Rogers' time at Cal, but I do recall many in San Francisco being irate that the 49ers did not draft him. So he must have done well.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks, DrJ; Cal can be so up and down that you never know what you're getting but they've had some good ones.

[narciso]

But enough about how the Rams play, rimshot,

[jimmyk on iPhone]

DoT, I already responded once.

[Beasts of England]

I know that when I want to understand the finer points of social issues, I often look to the vapid gesticulations of pro football players.

Pants up, don't fumble.

[Beasts of England]

After watching the mock College Playoff committee selections on Fox - who picked Oregon #1 (lol) - its obvious that the current format of four teams does very little to mitigate the debates about who should be included and needs to expand to eight as soon as next year.

[Jack is Back!]

Flight delayed. Pack and Pats game looks like it will come down to the wire. Gronk is a beast.

Jags win. Skins lose. Its a push day for me.

[jimmyk]

This is a pretty damning portrayal of the MSM's cowardice in its Middle East reporting, in The Atlantic of all places.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/how-the-media-makes-the-israel-story/383262/

Some say inflations and omissions are the inevitable results of an honest attempt to cover events in a challenging and occasionally dangerous reporting environment, which is what I initially believed myself. A few years on the job changed my mind. Such excuses can’t explain why the same inflations and omissions recur again and again, why they are common to so many news outlets, and why the simple “Israel story” of the international media is so foreign to people aware of the historical and regional context of events in this place. The explanation lies elsewhere.

h/t AliceH