I haven’t seen a lot of this in the blogosphere but that’s maybe because I haven’t looked widely enough. The thing is, Jimmy Carter does not come out of this smelling of roses.Kenneth W. Stein, who was the center's first executive director, told a Los Angeles audience Thursday that his concerns grew out of what he called Carter's "gross inventions, intentional falsehoods and irresponsible remarks." That’s not mincing words.
He said that the two most serious errors were when Carter misrepresented the wording of a key U.N. resolution and gave a false account of a 1990 meeting he held with former Syrian President Hafez Assad, which Stein attended.
The conclusion which can be drawn is that Carter doesn’t like the hardline Jewish negotiating manner. How much can be read into his Southern Baptist background and how much is personal antipathy is still not clear. Also, does it matter? The man is getting on in years and it’s only a book, after all.
Yes, only a book but one which can be seized on by one particular side to fuel the conflict. Carter is not exactly Joe Bloggs from Idaho, the illiterate street sweeper. People will take his words as carrying authority.
More on this after adequate research.
I'm yet to hear anyone explain why a rampant anti-semite would broker a peace deal between Israel and Egypt after three wars between the two nations.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt a shower of internet dorks will enlighten us by slinging mud at Carter until we all stop listening to what he has to say.
Which is rather the point of the propagandasphere, after all.
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24746
ReplyDeleteHere is some additional information.
Flying Rodent not everyone writes Propaganda and James isn't one of those that do- he is actually an inquisitive blogger with a quirky outlook but he doesn't write propaganda.
ReplyDeleteAs to Carter the accusations of anti semitism go over the top in my view- I think much more likely are the accusations that he didn't check his facts correctly- probably what he presented was a view of the Israeli Palestinian conflict mediated by a faulty memory with a failure to check up what actually happened. Sometimes its recollections differing as well. My view having not read much of the criticism and having read none of the book, is that what went on is that Carter dashed this off from memory and didn't check his facts. The point is as anyone who argues about politics and history will if they are honest and human admit, recalling facts for either writing or speaking makes you slightly alter them in line with your argument.
Now interestingly that reminds me of my own blogging!
Gracchi.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't fling such accusations at our James.
I've said this to him before, but the blogosphere is not a medium for intelligent debate - it's primarily a venue for nasty propaganda, especially in the US.
I haven't read Carter's book, you haven't read Carter's book, and I doubt James has read it either.
But type it into Technorati, and what will you get?
American bigots pissing and moaning, is my guess.
I like bloggers as much as anyone, but we need to recognise that some of the most popular are liars, fantasists and lunatics.
People I wouldn't trust to shepherd a border collie, let alone the discourse of a nation.
True enough- but journalism is full of that as well- the best blogs I read are better than the broadsheet journalists precisely because they are less propagandist- there are quite a few blogs out there like say Stumbling and Mumbling that beat the best of the journalists into the ground- its interesting but I think the blogosphere has to be evaluated in its distinct parts- you have the horrendous Malkins of the world who just spew propanganda- if you like the Daily Mail- then you have the smaller group of Iain Dale's whose inside knowledge and political nous represents say the Guardian or Times and then you have at the top of the tree the various intellectual bloggers- Stumbling and Mumbling, Granite Studio would be two I'd mention (one on economics, the other Chinese history) which are actually very interesting and very good. I think there is a lot of variety.
ReplyDelete1] Tiberius. I appreciate the support very much, especially from one such as you and I like your analysis of the blogosphere here as well.
ReplyDelete2] Flying Rodent. I didn't see your remarks as an attack. I actually agree with you on the Carter remarks. Your blog, by the way, has one of the most original and entertaining writing styles I've yet to see.
If you haven't visited these two yet - get over there now.