CBS runs an (shock!) impartial documentary on Israel

CBS did an incredible thing.

They run a segment, on their show '60 Minutes', that profiled the situation in Israel and were (more than is allowed on American TV) impartial.



CBS webpage with this story is here.

This has never, as far as I know, happened in America, on network TV.

Ever.

This is big.

Of course, there is now a backlash, led by the usual low moral standards, ethically challenged creatures.

Via one of my favorite blogs, the great Phillip Weiss highlights the same ol' usual.

Lets go to the israelunitycoalition.org site and see what's happening there.

In the January 25th episode of CBS's 60 Minutes, correspondent Bob Simon teamed up with Palestinian politician and partisan Mustafa Barghouti in a segment entitled "Is Peace Out of Reach," to promote the Palestinian view of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which heaps blame on Israel and exculpates the Palestinians for lack of peace. He ignores the Palestinians' responsibility for their own situation and reduces everything to a two-dimensional, villain-and-victim scenario, with Israel cast in the role of villain and Palestinians in the part of victim.

Sounds about right - Israel stole land by ethnically cleansing (by mass murder and forced evictions of whole towns) it and populating it with Jewish settlers.

Facts have a liberal anti-Israel bias.

To support this one-sided and extremely distorted view, CBS gives a welcoming platform to Palestinians and other harsh critics of Israel.

Re-read that sentence please.

Think on it a bit.

Giving a voice to Palestinians promotes a one sided and distorted view.

Giving a voice to Palestinians on American mainstream TV is very, very bad.

Pardon me, Mr. American traitor who loves Israel more than his own country, but when I watch an indepth news story about a conflict I want to see both sides of a conflict.

And then be allowed to make my own mind.

Aye, but therein lies the rub...

On the webpage, then we hit the section called
ACTION ITEMS

There are three points, laying step by step action that is expected of the members of israelunitycoalition.org.
a) E-mailing: 60m@cbsnews.com

b) Calling Senior Producer Robert Anderson: (212) 975-6977

c) Submitting a complaint online by clicking here: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml and selecting 60 Minutes from the drop down menu.

Then the article goes in depth telling the israelunitycoalition people exactly what to say, and how to say it.

Because, you know, they need to stay on message, and speak the same talking points. No individuality allowed.

Then there is a list of advertisers, whom members of Israel uber alles fightin keyboard commandoes brigade are urged to call and whine.

Why don't YOU go to that webpage?

Feel free to call Senior Producer Robert Anderson @ (212) 975-6977 and tell him exactly what YOU think?

Email 60 minutes at 60m@cbsnews.com and speak your mind.



Bonus Material - my letter, for whatever it's worth

My email to CBS:

Bravo! Thank you for Bob Simon's Israel story.

About time that the mainstream American TV joined the rest of the world (yes, ALL of it - we are the only ones in the whole community of nations) who look upon the actions of Israel with at the least a distaste.

Apartheid is not too strong a word to use, and President Carter was virtually shut out from the Democratic party for speaking truth to power.

When watching an in depth news segment about a conflict, I want to hear BOTH sides of the issue and then make up MY OWN MIND.

If you cave in to these people, the pro Israel no matter what crowd (the very definition of treason), you will continue the (not so proud) very American tradition in self censorship, and bowing down to a whisper from CAMERA, AIPAC or any other entity.

Thank You, CBS.

Stay strong!