Posted on 07/24/2006 8:53:24 AM PDT by MikeA
In the public relations battle brewing on-line, there is a new eye to the center of the storm surrounding the war with Hizbullah - a series of photos showing Israeli children writing messages on shells meant for targets in Lebanon.
Questions over the photos' authenticity have been put to rest by authorities that were present during the incident, which occurred on July 17 near the northern border. The mostly local children had been brought to see the shells by their parents. Although it remains unclear who encouraged them to write the messages, their colorful scribbles, including a Star of David, hearts, and "From Israel, with Love," have appeared in dozens of blogs, or on-line journals, and on-line photo hosting sites.
Although the IDF has failed to issue a response to the incident, a spokesman from the IDF said it "appeared as though the situation occurred unofficially." Although an officer was present during the incident, the soldiers, and the IDF as a whole, did not condone or condemn the incident.
An official close to Israel's public relations campaign said that there was "no way" to spin the incident in a positive light. "Some people are simply irresponsible," said the official.
On-line, the photos are being called "horrifying," "disgusting" and "despicable." "I still cannot understand why or how anyone would allow their young children to walk up to missiles or other explosives. The militarization of children is always a crime," said one user by the name of "aviv2b" on the Guardian Web site, which ran a lengthy discussion about the photos.
Another reader, by the name barbicanangel posted that "I still say Israel is right in this war, however, the picture of young Jewish girls signing the shells is quite disturbing."
Although the photos were first taken by professional photographers from AFP, Associated Press, and Haaretz, they were circulated on-line through the popular photo-hosting Web site Flickr.com. That site republished the photos, bringing them to the attention of hundreds who later posted them on their own personal sites.
Many users on both the flickr and Guardian Web sites said that the images proved how difficult it was for a country to control their public relations image on-line. "There is no way to tell how, when, where, or why these photos were taken," said one anonymous poster. "We have to rely on the people hosting the Web sites, who have no official accountability hanging over their heads at all."
Over the years, there have been a number of photos that have been popularized by the on-line community such as photos of young Palestinian babies dressed as suicide bombers, or Israeli children in Purim costumes mocking Palestinian political officials.
I don't get these people. Okay, so let's assume the YouGov poll was somehow skewed. The worst skewed polls skew things by about 10 percentage points (not even the US media's polls are that off). So let's assume based on nothing that the YouGov poll had a skew on the far outside of skewing, then you still have only 11% of Brit's in the YouGov poll saying Bush is a good leader (the actual results were 1%) and you still have 56% saying America is an imperial power using the war on terror to build an empire (the actual result was 66% saying so). None of the questions about what's wrong with America as the Brits perceive it was even close in America's favor. So take out any assumed skew, it's still not pretty.
So if you make those assumptions, you still get some appalling results of British disdain for America. Is this the picture of a country teaming with love for America and resolve in the war on terror?? (For other results in this disturbing poll, see this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/03/nyank03.xml ) And by the way, that's published in a CONSERVATIVE newspaper with no anti-US bias.
Stop being so sensitive.
Tha majority of EVERY country is always a bit ignorant.
i know none of the opposite, hence my feeling it is the prevailing view which just so happens to be what is portrayed in the european media. is it an exaggerated portrayal? probably. is it without any basis in fact? i doubt it, not based on my experience.
Did I ever say otherwise?? Glad you can now admit that a majority of at least Brits hold a great deal of disdain for the US. And what makes you think I'm sensitive to that? I was just providing that information to back up my earlier points. I think it's a shame so many people are being so deceived by the clearly anti-American European press (And before you skewer me for only saying that about the European press, the American media is just as bad.) But it's not something I'm "sensitive" to. I pity people so ignorant and deceived.
Yes, yes, or Palestinian toddlers dressed up like suicide bombers or hoisted upon their father's shoulders at a rally in Germany with a toy bomb belt and detonator. We've all seen those pics countless times and so have the liberals expressing outrage over the Israeli girls.
You want to know why it's different to show Israeli girls writing with 'Hello Kitty' pens on an artillery shell? I'll tell you why it's different:
Everyone listen up, and brace yourselves...
The Israeli girls are white. The Arab kids aren't. The Western world comes to expect better behavior from white people. If they're brown and violent, wretched, animalistic, or pathetic, Westerners see it and think 'Well, that figures'. When whites do the same, it's shocking and appalling because it's so 'out of place'.
Call that whatever you like. The fact is that's the way it's seen.
You're wrong, it's because the Israelis are winning.
You are making the mistake of forgetting that when asked about any foreign nation the majority of people revert to stereotypes.
If they asked about the Germans, French, Chinese, Australians they would be roughly as daft.
Recently on Star Trek (yes Star Trek) there was an Nazi on the show. Guess what accent he had? German? No don't be silly...it's America we are talking about so the big bad Nazi had a British (or to be precise an English) accent!
Have you noticed that the bad guys in Star Wars also have English accents?
America has a strong anti-British (remember who funded the IRA) culture that is of-course historical. Let's not get too uptight on these things.
Obi Wan's accent (both young and old) is British.
Darth Vader's accent is from Mississippi USA.
Sorry to thrash your little observation like that.
oh for heaven's sake, American women LOVE a brit accent! no bad connotation there.
The imperial officers all have English accents.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A891155
What kind of British accent do you like? I bet it's the kind that no-one actually speaks. :D
GENERALLY SPEAKING [there i go again /RR ; )], a german accent would be used for a sinister role, or maybe a russian one. never brit. Brit accent connotes Beatles. and Davey Jones of the Monkees [but i date myself]
God, most of the cast of IV, V, and VI is British.
Stop.
Have you noticed that the bad guys in Star Wars also have English accents?
America has a strong anti-British (remember who funded the IRA) culture that is of-course historical. Let's not get too uptight on these things.
I think that's because they were English actors, no? Peter Cushing, the guy who played the Emperor whose name escapes me at the moment, etc. were British. Darth Vader's voice was American James Earl Jones. Obi Wan, the ultimate good guy, was played by a Brit too were they not, both the younger and older versions? I think a casting decision especially by a known long time liberal like George Lucas is merely a decision as to who best fits a role, not indicative of national opinion of the British. I don't think assumptions about casting decisions are in any way analogous in terms of establishing national views of nations abroad to the expressed opinions being put forth about America throughout Europe both through polls, elections, newspapers, protests and the things being said by many European politicians.
As to support for the IRA, those people were a distinct minority among extreme Catholic groups, mainly Irish-Americans. I don't know anyone who supported the IRA either monetarily or in terms of their goals. I bet I could spend weeks trying to find one person who supports the IRA in America. If it took you an hour to find a fellow Brit willing to bash the US and the war on terror, I'd eat my hat.
Most Americans love the Brits, I among them. I'm a long time fan of British culture and entertainment, including the British comedies so popular here in the US. I might be disappointed what some Brits are saying about the US, but I still love your country and hope to get back in a couple years. I think you are deeply mistaken to say the US is anti-British. I see nothing like that. Historical animosities were long ago set aside with US and British alliances in WWI and WWII.
i am a huge monty python fan! i believe most freepers are. the use of the black knight video to illustrate AlGore in the 2000 election was priceless!
And the bad guys on Xena: Waeeiot Princess had New Zealand accents
And the bad guys on Farscape had Australian accents
It was media photographers who gave the kids felt tipped markers and told them, "Graffiti these bombs and you'll be on TV tonight!"
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
It wasn't just a minority who supported the IRA - although admittedly I've yet to meet one who doesn't even know that the majority of the people in Northern Ireland want to be British.
To be honest, it may be a minority but there were also Congressmen involved.
As for 1776, it always shocks my American friends when they find out that not only do the British not feel upset by it, but actually see it as a positive and a logical conclusion to the British people and philosophy that created America.
I am not saying all America hates Britain any more than the UK hates America.
However, why did Mad Ivan leave? ;)
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