This is a side comment in regard to the central message of those who did not make it to another Sukkot, but your powerful piece, Julie, makes another very important observation.
“Freidman concluded that the most important factor was a new, aggressive activism among his [journalist] colleagues whose goal was no longer to describe reality but to “usher readers to the correct political conclusion.” … [this is] not limited to Israel.”
True. This non journalism has now entirely infiltrated the state-funded news organizations whom we used to look to for objective factual accuracy. I used to only get my news from the ABC and the BBC, but they are now impossible for me to listen to as the clear indications of carefully choreographed political messaging underpin everything “reported” for mass consumption, other than the sport and the weather (and even they are no longer safe). Why has this happened? Rafts of special security powers legislation since 9/11 integrating state interests with public communications, and the rise of social media, the iPhone, and tailored algorithmic massaging integrating corporate commercial interests with public (state) interests and private communications have a lot to answer for. But this is a catastrophe for the accurately informed and genuinely intellectually free public debate necessary for the proper functioning of liberal democracies. And more profoundly, there is the loss of belief in truth itself, and a deep trend towards the reduction of meaning to performative political poetics in our academies. Judith Butler is no outlier to our high culture, as can be seen by the recent Tickle verses Giggle ruling. We are in serious trouble. Your determination to find and tell truth, Julie, is a greatly appreciated light of hope in increasingly darkening times.
Thank you Paul and absolutely. My view is that the craziness was building slowly and then dramatically intensified after Trump's election. ie: his election gave rise to an equal and opposite reaction on the left.
I couldn't agree more Paul. The profession of journalism has seriously lost its way. While always susceptible to bias or prejudice, we used to have trusted sources of neutral and factual information. No longer. I now find myself one of the denizens of truth seekers, winding my way through the lesser paths of substack and the like, searching out writers who appear to be presenting evidence based and properly sourced news, instead of merely an opinion.
Thanks again Julie for your ongoing analysis of this conflict and especially the parochial quibbles. I heard Albo on ABC Melbourne yesterday voicing his admiration for Bob Hawke. But evidently not Hawke's staunch pro-Israel position, because in aggregate, his government's support for Israel remains disturbingly ambiguous and even spineless.
For example, the ABC reported yesterday that the US's stealth bombing mission of the Houthis weapons stores a couple of days ago was launched from an air base in NT, that is, with Australia's active cooperation. But I don't recall hearing Albo, Wong, Conroy or Marles proudly celebrating its success and our support role. They did applaud the killing of Sinwar, but they opposed the brave Israeli incursion into Rafah that made his elimination possible. This is a government without courage.
I think you’re right. Albanese can’t see past the voters of Western Sydney. I do appreciate your thoughtful writing which so often nearly brings me to tears.
Looks like the PM is already lining up his retirement on the coast. Very far away from the voters of W Sydney you will note. Amazing success to achieve all your policy outcomes in a single term.
You are probably right about the PM, but its not just seats in Western Sydney but Northern Melbourne seats as well , the last thing we need is the sanctimonious and racist Greens in a majority in the House of Reps.
Thank you, Julie for another insightful piece. I was also confronted by the PM’s use of the term “cycle of violence” in this context. This term is familiar to me from several years working in the field of domestic violence prevention and response. As many know, it describes a series of repeated phases of perpetrator behaviour towards the abused person. Some analyses implicated the victim in those phases of escalation and feigned de-escalation. This version always angered me for the “two to tango” equalising assumptions of both-side-ism which so often obfuscate significant distinctions and intentionally mask the truth. Hearing it in this context was enraging.
Agree the '4th Estate' is muzzled now and hardly worth reading or listening to anymore..... did no one notice march toward the silencing of ideas/ debate and loss of truthfulness now so lacking in our media establishments and parliaments? Not much more to add except an expert in M E languages once told me (and I so remember this) that rather than 'virgins' the correct/true meaning of the word when translated equates to 'raisins' which to a hungry person actually would have more meaning and value.
Thank you yet again! I have great admiration for your 'forensic' journalism. As a side benefit, my children and grandchildren are gaining some historical, political and moral education through the extracts I quote to them.
This piece really resonates with the maxim: "Silence is violence". Silence about an Islamist killer certainly has bred hatred and racism. It must be so discouraging for journalists who care about the profession to see where it has sunk. So keep writing, Julie!
Another tangential comment on another powerful piece on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Albo is too busy cringing from the liberal authoritarians in his government and amongst his media supporters to even be clear about the undoubted benefit that Sinwar's demise represents. He fears straying from the dogmatic catechism of those who now tell us what to think. I commend to your followers Luke Conway's new book "Liberal Bullies", one of the few psychological studies in living memory on how the liberal mind works.
Last Saturday night in Berlin at the pro Palestinian rally - which I’ll call the anti Israel rally - because after all anyone who believes in two states ( I don’t like the word solution - used as a euphemism in the past brutally) is pro Palestinian - so I’m pro - Palestinian too - but what I heard chilled me to the bone . A crowd of hundreds maybe thousands- but a huge crowd - chanting “SINWAR! SINWAR!”.
This is a side comment in regard to the central message of those who did not make it to another Sukkot, but your powerful piece, Julie, makes another very important observation.
“Freidman concluded that the most important factor was a new, aggressive activism among his [journalist] colleagues whose goal was no longer to describe reality but to “usher readers to the correct political conclusion.” … [this is] not limited to Israel.”
True. This non journalism has now entirely infiltrated the state-funded news organizations whom we used to look to for objective factual accuracy. I used to only get my news from the ABC and the BBC, but they are now impossible for me to listen to as the clear indications of carefully choreographed political messaging underpin everything “reported” for mass consumption, other than the sport and the weather (and even they are no longer safe). Why has this happened? Rafts of special security powers legislation since 9/11 integrating state interests with public communications, and the rise of social media, the iPhone, and tailored algorithmic massaging integrating corporate commercial interests with public (state) interests and private communications have a lot to answer for. But this is a catastrophe for the accurately informed and genuinely intellectually free public debate necessary for the proper functioning of liberal democracies. And more profoundly, there is the loss of belief in truth itself, and a deep trend towards the reduction of meaning to performative political poetics in our academies. Judith Butler is no outlier to our high culture, as can be seen by the recent Tickle verses Giggle ruling. We are in serious trouble. Your determination to find and tell truth, Julie, is a greatly appreciated light of hope in increasingly darkening times.
Thank you Paul and absolutely. My view is that the craziness was building slowly and then dramatically intensified after Trump's election. ie: his election gave rise to an equal and opposite reaction on the left.
I couldn't agree more Paul. The profession of journalism has seriously lost its way. While always susceptible to bias or prejudice, we used to have trusted sources of neutral and factual information. No longer. I now find myself one of the denizens of truth seekers, winding my way through the lesser paths of substack and the like, searching out writers who appear to be presenting evidence based and properly sourced news, instead of merely an opinion.
Thanks again Julie for your ongoing analysis of this conflict and especially the parochial quibbles. I heard Albo on ABC Melbourne yesterday voicing his admiration for Bob Hawke. But evidently not Hawke's staunch pro-Israel position, because in aggregate, his government's support for Israel remains disturbingly ambiguous and even spineless.
For example, the ABC reported yesterday that the US's stealth bombing mission of the Houthis weapons stores a couple of days ago was launched from an air base in NT, that is, with Australia's active cooperation. But I don't recall hearing Albo, Wong, Conroy or Marles proudly celebrating its success and our support role. They did applaud the killing of Sinwar, but they opposed the brave Israeli incursion into Rafah that made his elimination possible. This is a government without courage.
Hear, hear.
Albo's not fit to shine Hawke's shoes.
Albo channeling Hawkie?
To quote a great mind: "The man never had a Duff in his life!"
I think you’re right. Albanese can’t see past the voters of Western Sydney. I do appreciate your thoughtful writing which so often nearly brings me to tears.
Thank you Cheryl. ♥️
Looks like the PM is already lining up his retirement on the coast. Very far away from the voters of W Sydney you will note. Amazing success to achieve all your policy outcomes in a single term.
The house buy was a truly strange move..
Powerful Julie. Especially on the failures of journalism. Thank you.
You are probably right about the PM, but its not just seats in Western Sydney but Northern Melbourne seats as well , the last thing we need is the sanctimonious and racist Greens in a majority in the House of Reps.
Thank you, Julie for another insightful piece. I was also confronted by the PM’s use of the term “cycle of violence” in this context. This term is familiar to me from several years working in the field of domestic violence prevention and response. As many know, it describes a series of repeated phases of perpetrator behaviour towards the abused person. Some analyses implicated the victim in those phases of escalation and feigned de-escalation. This version always angered me for the “two to tango” equalising assumptions of both-side-ism which so often obfuscate significant distinctions and intentionally mask the truth. Hearing it in this context was enraging.
That's interesting Cathie: lots of similarities between the two scenarios.
Agree the '4th Estate' is muzzled now and hardly worth reading or listening to anymore..... did no one notice march toward the silencing of ideas/ debate and loss of truthfulness now so lacking in our media establishments and parliaments? Not much more to add except an expert in M E languages once told me (and I so remember this) that rather than 'virgins' the correct/true meaning of the word when translated equates to 'raisins' which to a hungry person actually would have more meaning and value.
Wow. I'll have to contemplate that one!
Thank you yet again! I have great admiration for your 'forensic' journalism. As a side benefit, my children and grandchildren are gaining some historical, political and moral education through the extracts I quote to them.
That's so lovely to hear Ros!
This piece really resonates with the maxim: "Silence is violence". Silence about an Islamist killer certainly has bred hatred and racism. It must be so discouraging for journalists who care about the profession to see where it has sunk. So keep writing, Julie!
Another tangential comment on another powerful piece on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Albo is too busy cringing from the liberal authoritarians in his government and amongst his media supporters to even be clear about the undoubted benefit that Sinwar's demise represents. He fears straying from the dogmatic catechism of those who now tell us what to think. I commend to your followers Luke Conway's new book "Liberal Bullies", one of the few psychological studies in living memory on how the liberal mind works.
Never heard of it David but will check it out...
Last Saturday night in Berlin at the pro Palestinian rally - which I’ll call the anti Israel rally - because after all anyone who believes in two states ( I don’t like the word solution - used as a euphemism in the past brutally) is pro Palestinian - so I’m pro - Palestinian too - but what I heard chilled me to the bone . A crowd of hundreds maybe thousands- but a huge crowd - chanting “SINWAR! SINWAR!”.
Oh God, Fiona that is chilling. And so disappointing because Berlin is one of the best places to be Jewish right now..