Down the Toilet at Newsweek:Dungeon legend and the peril of anonymous sources(Russia started it!)

SLATE.MSN.COM ^ | MAY 16, 2005 | JACK SHAFER

[CHARLITE]

Newsweek floundered in journalistic purgatory over the weekend, unable to confirm or completely retract the "Periscope" item from its May 9 issue that incensed rioters in Afghanistan and Pakistan; 16 people died in the melees.

I wonder why Newsweek wasn't more skeptical about Quran-desecration charges. Muslims so venerate the Quran that they are outraged if anyone touches one without first washing their hands, let alone put it into a dung-hole.

Compare the ubiquity of the toilet story with other kinds of Quran desecration. In my Nexis sifting I found only a handful of examples from the last 25 years: A man rips up a Quran (Statesman, India, March 27, 2001); the non-believers burn a Quran in India (San Jose Mercury News, March 23, 2001); and an Iraqi woman protests the search of her bag, which contains a Quran, by U.S. trooper's dog (Agence France Presse, Oct. 31, 2003). All unspeakable violations, but none with staying power of the toilet-paper meme.

Could it be that the Gitmo prisoners lied or exaggerated about the Quran story, pushing forward the most outrageous meme in their inventory, and that their inflated charges percolated up to Newsweek?

Are the riots and the deaths the magazine's fault? I say no, whether Newsweek got the story right or wrong. If Al Jazeera published the most inflammatory story it could find—or make up—about the pope or the Virgin Mary, would we blame the satellite station if Rome rioted, or the Romans?

The killing of innocents is the greatest desecration.

[CHARLITE]

Latest punishment for guy in China who ran over a copy of the Koran with his bicycle (snicker!)

Is there a Quran-as-toilet-paper meme?

[BullDog108]

[carrier-aviator]

Please tell me: how does a Koran fit down a toilet???

Secondly: one would expect the MSM to be jumping up and down with joy over this event.

The loved a crucifix in urine. They loved elephanbt dung on the likeness of the Virgin Mary. Would not a Koran in the toilet be an example of the high art we are being foced to subsidize?

[Chgogal]

This post about Newsweek really ticked me off! ;(

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1408214/posts

And here is the ping that shows Newsweek desecrating the US flag!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1408214/posts?page=17#17

[cvq3842]

oh my!

Funny how the left was SO OFFENDED when people opined that radical Islamists were irrational bigots. The left kept saying, "we have to find out WHY they hate us."

Now, when Newsweek runs for cover, they say, "well we all know these Islamists are all kooks anyway."

No, the haters wand killers can't use Newsweek as an "excuse." everyone's responsible for his or her own actions.

But I smell some hypocrisy here.

[CHARLITE]

"I think that one event will change things dramatically: The televised trial of Saddam Hussein."

The trouble with that is that he's a secularist monster, not famous for Wahhabi Muslim preachings. That's the real monster that we really don't have a clue how to defeat, although I think that reducing - say - Syria to rubble, for openers, might serve as an example of just how serious we are about defeating any and all "jihadi" movements, backers, safe haven providers thereof.......d'ya think?

Char :)

P.S. Where Damascus used to be, we could construct two replicas of the late, great World Trade Center towers.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping! I agree that the trial of Saddam won't do much to calm down the Islamic extremists.

IMHO, water (love) is the best way to put out a fire (hate) - we need to expose the middle east to Christianity so they can see Truth.

However, should the Islamic extremists do a more heinous terrorist crime in our borders with the consent of the Arab "street" - such as a bio/chemical/nuclear attack which stacks up bodies like cordwood, I would be all "for" destroying all of their religious icons in one huge show of power - so they will understand what they worship is not God. That would require simultaneously leveling Mecca, Medina, and every Mosque and holy place that can be targeted by a missile. I would not, however, want to kill people unnecessarily - so I would also give them a very short warning. However, I wouldn't stop if people wanted to become "human shields" - such martyrdom is part of the problem with their religion (suicide bombers, etc.)

[CHARLITE]

Hey, Girl. You've got the right idea. I've been thinking the same thing. These people only respect raw power and force. So, we need a bigger display of "shock and awe.".....Give the civilians warnings. Then "Just Do It."

If we don't do something "major" ......and soon, this tenuous situation could become a way of life for decades! I like the way you put it, " I would not, however, want to kill people unnecessarily - so I would also give them a very short warning."

I just wrote on another thread, that if we'd flatten Syria, then build replicas of the WTC twin towers where Damascus used to be, perhaps the fearsome "Arab Street" would calm down, slink back to their 7th century life styles and be quiet.

Thanks for your comments, Alamo-Girl!

Char :)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for your reply!

There was about a 4 week window when America would have accepted such a fierce response to 9/11. I suspect that Arafat was worried and that may be why he was so quick to give blood which could not possibly have been used.

But too much time has gone by and people have become complacent again. Also, it doesn't help to discipline a misbehaving animal long after his mistake - it needs to be right away so he will understand.

IMHO, it would take another, much worse assault than 9/11 for such a fierce response and it would need to be executed quickly. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if the Pentagon had a contingency plan like that. I understand they have libraries of war plans.