The Hypocrisy of Richard Silverstein, part 2, or "How Dare the Jews Write Back"

Its getting to the point where I half expect to see Richard Silverstein’s photo in my Webster’s dictionary under "hypocrisy".

His latest missive: " Israel's foreign ministry organising to flood news websites with pro-Israeli comments " should be subtitled "How dare the Jews write back."

He states " You always hear about Israeli attempts at media manipulation. ", and yes, we do , Richard. We hear all about those Jews who control the media and Congress and Hollywood. We hear it all the time. And yes, Richard usually it’s the Zionists or Israelis as code words for "Jew". But we know what they mean. They’ve been saying it for years. Didn’t we hear about it in the Protocols first?

What we don’t hear about are the attempts from the other side. On his own blog, Richard issues a call to flood Israeli ministries with calls and email in support of FGM (isn’t that Female Genital Mutilation, Richard? Sure you want to use THAT acronym?) Yet when he does it, its not a shameless attempt to influence policy or distort public opinion. When Jewish Voice for Peace , frantic that the Free Gaza publicity stunt rendered so little publicity sent out a plea to thousands, begging them to write and call to " keep the media focused on this matter", Richard didn't condemn this. The plea contained an embedded hyperlink, with an automatic letter to the editor generator! And Richard says the Israelis are "orchestrating propaganda efforts designed to flood news websites" . Richard, don’t you think JVP’s automatic letter generator distorts "the balance and tone of the discussion with their programmed arguments" ? Somehow, I don’t expect you’ll be complaining about it on your blog any time soon.

In Richard Silverstein’s skewered world view Israel’s attempts to inform the public and news media of the reality on the ground is "favorable flackery" and is a vain attempt to tilt public opinion toward Israel. I'd call it speaking truth to power.

And speaking of "outright propaganda"- that does Israel a "disservice" , did you know, Richard, that in the "apartheid" state of Israel, a Muslim woman, Dr. Suheir Assady, was recently appointed as the new head of the Nephrology Department at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa? Dr. Assady is the the first Muslim woman to be directing a large medical department in an Israeli hospital. Yep. I bet thats just the just the kind of information that offends you, Richard, simply because its true.