In a Home to Free Speech, a Paper Is Accused of Anti-Semitism

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"For the last six years, The Berkeley Daily Planet has published a freewheeling assortment of submissions from readers, who offer sharp-elbowed views on everything from raucous college parties (generally bad) to the war in Iraq (ditto).

But since March, that running commentary has been under attack by a small but vociferous group of critics who accuse the paper’s editor, Becky O’Malley, of publishing too many letters and other commentary pieces critical of Israel. Those accusations are the basis of a campaign to drive away the paper’s advertisers and a Web site that strongly suggests The Planet and its editor are anti-Semitic.

“We think that Ms. O’Malley is addicted to anti-Israel expression just as an alcoholic is to drinking,” Jim Sinkinson, who has led the campaign to discourage advertisers, wrote in an e-mail message. He is the publisher of Infocom Group, a media relations company. “If she wants to serve and please the East Bay Jewish community, she would be safer avoiding the subject entirely.”

Ms. O’Malley denies any personal or editorial bias, and bristles at the suggestion that she should not publish letters about Israel in a city like Berkeley, which has a sizable Jewish community and a populace — and City Council — that often weigh in on Middle East and international affairs.

"Frankly, the term that crossed my mind was ‘protection racket,’ ” Ms. O’Malley said. “I think that is unusual to say the least that anybody would think that they could dictate a whole area of the world that is simply off limits for discussion."

more

[Better Today]

1. So what can we do to help the Planet weather this whining?

If Israel doesn't want to be criticized, it needs to change its ways; not limit others' rights to comment on their hateful, bigoted, overbearing, apartheid policies.

[Scurrilous]

2. Supporting Local News:

http://www.berkeleydaily.org/fund

[snagglepuss]

5. +1

[theoldman]

3. You can never win by criticizing the minority publicly.

I save criticism of my Jewish friends when we are face-to-face. That makes us equals. We generally end up laughing at each other.

[Better Today]

4. The article specifically comments on them being anti-Israel not anti-jew; though

it seems most can't seem to separate the two and hence they then become pegged as anti-semetic, which is ridiculous since Arabs (hence Palestinians) are considered semetic.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. LOL!

anti-Semitic
adj
prejudiced against or hostile to Jews
anti-Semitically adv
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anti-Semitic

Main Entry: an·ti–Sem·i·tism
Pronunciation: \ˌan-tē-ˈse-mə-ˌti-zəm, ˌan-ˌtī-\
Function: noun
Date: 1882
: hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group

— an·ti–Se·mit·ic \-sə-ˈmi-tik\ adjective

— an·ti–Sem·ite \-ˈse-ˌmīt\ noun
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-Semitism

[Better Today]

7. Ah, but they then ignore their own definition of Semitic which says something in and of

itself.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Semitic

Main Entry: 1Se·mit·ic
Pronunciation: \sə-ˈmi-tik also -ˈme-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: German semitisch, from Semit, Semite Semite, probably from New Latin Semita, from Late Latin Sem Shem
Date: 1813

1 : of, relating to, or constituting a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic language family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic
2 : of, relating to, or characteristic of the Semites
3 : jewish


Since entry #3 is also a subset of answer #1, I'd say it's a redundancy.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. It does say something...but it isn't about them, rather it is about you.

Etymology

Cover page of Marr's The Way to Victory of Germanicism over Judaism, 1880 editionThe word antisemitic (antisemitisch in German) was probably first used in 1860 by the Austrian Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider in the phrase "antisemitic prejudices" (German: "antisemitische Vorurteile").<11> Steinschneider used this phrase to characterize Ernest Renan's ideas about how "Semitic races" were inferior to "Aryan races." These pseudo-scientific theories concerning race, civilization, and "progress" had become quite widespread in Europe in the second half of the 19th century, especially as Prussian nationalistic historian Heinrich von Treitschke did much to promote this form of racism. In Treitschke's writings Semitic was synonymous with Jewish, in contrast to its usage by Renan and others.

In 1873 German journalist Wilhelm Marr published a pamphlet "The Victory of the Jewish Spirit over the Germanic Spirit. Observed from a non-religious perspective." ("Der Sieg des Judenthums über das Germanenthum. Vom nicht confessionellen Standpunkt aus betrachtet.") in which he used the word "Semitismus" interchangeably with the word "Judentum" to denote both "Jewry" (the Jews as a collective) and "jewishness" (the quality of being Jewish, or the Jewish spirit). Although he did not use the word "Antisemitismus" in the pamphlet, the coining of the latter word followed naturally from the word "Semitismus", and indicated either opposition to the Jews as a people, or else opposition to jewishness or the Jewish spirit, which he saw as infiltrating German culture.<12> In his next pamphlet, "The Way to Victory of the Germanic Spirit over the Jewish Spirit", published in 1880, Marr developed his ideas further and coined the related German word Antisemitismus - antisemitism, derived from the word "Semitismus" that he had earlier used.

The pamphlet became very popular, and in the same year he founded the "League of Antisemites" ("Antisemiten-Liga"), the first German organization committed specifically to combatting the alleged threat to Germany and German culture posed by the Jews and their influence, and advocating their forced removal from the country.

So far as can be ascertained, the word was first widely printed in 1881, when Marr published "Zwanglose Antisemitische Hefte," and Wilhelm Scherer used the term "Antisemiten" in the January issue of "Neue Freie Presse". The related word semitism was coined around 1885
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism#Etymology

[Better Today]

9. And your point is? So you think Israel should be able to any it wants

and any contrary opinion should be handled as a case of the current definition of anti-semitism?

Or are you just so busy arguing about a definition that you've forgotten what the OP is about?

[Behind the Aegis]

10. My point is you don't know what anti-Semitism either.

[cali]

19. uh, it's semitic, not semetic.

you clearly don't know enough to even spell the word correctly.

[shira]

11. criticism of Israel isn't the issue, it's obsessive OTT demonization

The same OTT, obsessive demonization and hate that can be found at drool sites like Stormfront or Jihadwatch.

CRITICIZE - DON'T DEMONIZE
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/feb/09/independentvoices

[shira]

20. 3 examples of hate, demonization, anti-semitism from this Berkeley rag

"One should ask why anti-Semitism has persisted throughout the centuries. Let us go back to 539 BC, when Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, went to Babylonia and liberated Jews. One can ask why Jews were enslaved by Babylonians. Also, one can ask why Jews had problem with Egyptians, with Jesus, with Europeans, and in modern times with Germans? The answer, among other things, is their racist attitude that they are the 'Chosen People.' Because of this attitude, they do wrong to other people to the point that others turn against them, namely, become anti-Semite if you will."
http://dpwatchdog.com/1anti-semitism7.html

=======

Anyone in Congress who supports this genocide does not represent me and many others in this country. Destroying a country’s infrastructure, killing millions of innocent civilians, including children, is inexcusable. I will never vote for anyone who supports this insanity. What Israel is doing to Lebanon is worse than what Hitler did in Germany. Hezbollah is merely an excuse for Israel to wipe out Palestine.
http://dpwatchdog.com/1anti-semitism5.html

=======

American Jews can enjoy the fruits of assimilation or the ‘solidarity of the Jewish community.’ Right now, they are desperately trying to have both…If you really want a ‘Jewish community,’ you need to observe the 613 mitzvot which regulate every aspect of Jewish life…spend one full day a week doing nothing but reading prayers in a language you don’t understand, have (and refrain from) sexual relations with your spouse on a religious schedule, stop having lunch with your goyishe friends (it’s forbidden); let your most intimate decisions be made for you by rabbis …and get very angry and upset when some kid spray paints on a poster.
http://dpwatchdog.com/1anti-semitism2.html

[varelse]

12. Criticism of Israel is not synonymous with anti-semitism

not even harsh, sustained criticism - much in the same way that several years of harsh, sustained criticism of the Bush Administration is not synonymous with an "anti-Christian" bias.

[shira]

14. but OTT demonization and obsession is...

The Parallel Universe of Comment is Free and Stormfront
http://cifwatch.com/2009/11/27/the-parallel-universe-of-comment-is-free-and-stormfront/

just goes to show how 'mainstream' Stormfront views have become among the far left.

[varelse]

15. Publishing letters to the editor isn't OTT demonization and obsession

nor is it evidence of anti-semitism. Unmoderated, anonymous internet comments are a completely different problem. Racism, bigotry and misogny, and completely irresponsible hate speech are far too common on the internet.

[varelse]

13. According to the article, the local Jewish leaders aren't involved in the pressure campaign

Local Jewish leaders, meanwhile, seem wary of getting involved in the campaign against The Planet. The Anti-Defamation League’s regional director in San Francisco, Jonathan Bernstein, said that while the paper had published some “divisive and hateful” material, Mr. Sinkinson’s and Mr. Gertz’s efforts were their own.

“I don’t think anyone in the organized Jewish community is involved in this in any way,” Mr. Bernstein said.

Interesting that all this heat is generated because letters to the editor are being published. It's not actually about what is reported in the newspaper, or even about the content of the editorials.

[bemildred]

16. I wonder what this PR hack got paid for running this campaign.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Infocom_Group

[Jefferson23]

17. Incredible, from the OP:

"she would be safer avoiding the subject entirely.”

Safe from what I would like to know.

[Jefferson23]

18. The False Claims and Misrepresentations of Jim Sinkinson

snip** Sinkinson has proved himself in his latest letter willing to twist even the words of the 40 Jewish leaders who constitute the East Bay Council of Rabbis.

In a July 19 letter to advertisers—which featured a prepaid cancellation notice for them to send to the paper’s ad department—he declares, “Please know that we are taking this action because it is a critical concern for many members of the Jewish community.”

And then he offers, by way of an endorsement, a letter to the editor from rabbinical council president Andrea Berlin, published unedited in this newspaper’s June 25 edition.

Her letter, which includes a ringing acclimation of freedom of the speech and press, nonetheless states that one letter published in the Planet “some years ago ... crossed over into clearly anti-Semitic expression.”

While she cautioned the paper against publishing “hate speech,” the only instance she cited was that 2006 letter to the editor, which I discussed in detail in my lengthy June 4 article “The Campaign Against the Daily Planet” (see http://berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-06-04).

While Rabbi Berlin’s letter was reprinted in full in the Daily Planet, Sinkinson omitted two sentences from the version he included in his letter to advertisers.

A quick reading of the missing text makes clear why he conveniently excised them. The simple truth is, they provide an explicit criticism of the very publicist’s campaign he’s conducting:



“The Jewish community does not censor criticism of Israel and neither its leadership nor its designated representatives are engaged in a campaign against the Daily Planet. We decry any efforts by anyone who would stifle the flow of information.” (see http://berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-06-25/article/33213 )


in full: http://www.berkeleydaily.org/issue/2009-08-06/article/33470?headline=The-False-Claims-and-Misrepresentations-of-Jim-Sinkinson

[grassfed]

21. "Protection Racket"

perfect

[ProgressiveMuslim]

22. Time to create an "anti-semitism" forum on the D/U. It sure dominates discussion here!

[stranger81]

25. It's definitely a popular ploy for changing the subject. [n/t]

[Scurrilous]

23. California: Newspaper Shifts From Print to Web

"The Berkeley Daily Planet newspaper announced Thursday that it would shift to an online-only edition at the end of the month. In a letter posted on the paper’s Web site, the editor, Becky O’Malley, and publisher, Mike O’Malley, cited falling advertising sales, absentee business owners, and a continuing boycott by a group that accuses the paper of being overly critical of Israel. “The campaign against the Planet’s free-speech policy by a few misguided zealots who represent themselves as friends of Israel has certainly contributed to our advertising problems in some measure,” the O’Malleys wrote."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/business/media/12brfs-NEWSPAPERSHI_BRF.htm

[Behind the Aegis]

24. Berkeley Daily Planet to end print, be Web only

---snip--

"The tipping point came a week ago, when the Planet discovered that its payroll preparation company had embezzled money and failed to pay the paper's taxes, O'Malley said.

With "hundreds of thousands" of dollars in potential liabilities, O'Malley said she and her husband, Mike, could no longer afford to subsidize the paper, which had never made a profit in the seven years since they bought it for $15,000 from four Stanford business school graduates.

"The payroll scam made us think we had to bite the bullet," O'Malley said.

---snip---