How the Media Pushes the 'Jews Cry Wolf' Myth
Plus: The straw man fallacy, Bill Maher, Emma Watson, and Jordan Peele
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Inside news organizations, there is widespread belief in a false, negative stereotype. It's a myth strategically designed to skew their coverage against Israel and make them impervious to legitimate complaints of antisemitism. On this episode of They Stand Corrected, how the media pushes the “Jews cry wolf” myth, and two key tactics to watch out for.
Antisemites use this myth to fuel hate movements.
Question for an upcoming episode: What is the worst, most memorable lie you've heard from a politician that the media did not do an adequate job of correcting? Paid subscribers, answer in the comment section at the bottom of this newsletter. (Other folks can find a form at my website, which will take you through the process of confirming your email address.)
Thank you for the amazing feedback! After reading one listener comment, I mention a cover story I did about exercise and body image. Here it is.
Links for listeners
-Here’s the terrific Instagram video I reference from the awesome activist and author Noa Tishby (whose book about Israel is a must read/listen) and the hilarious Chelsea Handler.
-Virtually everyone polled by the Jewish Electoral Institute said you can of course criticize Israeli policies and still be considered “pro-Israel.”
-However, in a European poll, one-third of people believe the myth that supporters of Israel use accusations of antisemitism to shut down criticism — and only one in ten knew that it’s not true. The European Network Against Racism specifically explains that this crying wolf idea is a myth.
-In the episode, I mention a piece I did for the New York Daily News about Emma Watson and the media’s failure to fact check. Here it is. (To hear about Bill Maher being subjected to a ridiculous “straw man” question and some wisdom from Jordan Peele, listen to the episode.)
-Here’s a terrific column I cite (and play part of) from Jason A. Kessler in the Jewish Journal, setting the record straight for clueless, bigoted, unnamed editorial board members of the Harvard Crimson a couple of years ago.
What you can do
When you see news agencies play up the crying wolf myth either by stating it outright or using the straw man fallacy (as I explain in the episode), here’s text you can copy and paste into an email to executives at the agency:
You have played up the “Jews cry wolf” myth by presenting the idea that Jewish people, leaders or groups call criticism of Israel antisemitic. What is your proof? Why did you not provide any? Please respond to me in writing with answers to these questions within two days. As the podcast They Stand Corrected explains, this is a common myth in “mainstream” media, and it fuels biased, anti-Israel news coverage.
Also, send me your thoughts, as well as links that you want me to fact check! Paid subscribers: You can post right here in the comments section. (Other people can find a form via my website, which will take you through the process of confirming your email.)
There’s so much to fact check, and we’re looking for sponsors so we can keep going! So please share this far and wide with any individuals or groups that may want to sponsor or contribute!
Thanks much and big love,
JL
On CNN - May 14, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/reel/C68kookNe6c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
On your Instagram post on May 14,2024 you reported the following, "An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 13 displaced Palestinians and left families buried in the rubble, an Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital spokesperson told CNN. The death toll is expected to rise. A CNN stringer filming the aftermath said he had spoken to four people who said they had at least six family members missing in the rubble. The strike hit a four-storey building belonging to the Karaja tamily that was sheltering at least 100 people displaced by the war, Civil Defense in Gaza said in a statement on Tuesday. The bodies of the children were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. The building was struck at around 2:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday while people were sleeping."
According to the IDF, this is what ACTUALLY happened (translated by Google): "Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked, based on accurate intelligence from the Shin Bet and Iman, in cooperation with the fire brigade of Division 99, a central Hamas combat room located in a UNRA [sic] school in Nuseirat where terrorists from the military wing of the terrorist organization Hamas were staying. The attack was carefully planned and carried out using precise weaponry and avoiding harm to civilians as much as possible. The combat room that was attacked was used as a central terrorist infrastructure, from which several terrorist operations against IDF forces in the center of the Gaza Strip were planned in recent weeks. The Nohba terrorists who were attacked took an active part in the October 7th attack and are also responsible for ambushes and operations against our forces in the Gaza Strip. About 15 terrorists from the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip were killed in the attack, including more than 10 associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. The terrorist organization Hamas systematically exploits international institutions and the civilian population as a human shield for terrorist actions against the State of Israel."
I was happy to hear my recorded message in the current episode of They Stand Corrected. I really appreciate the way Josh does his research and makes it clear that the media is not being fair in their reporting.