Jackson Free Press

Over at Ipse blog, attorney Jim Craig is calling out the local right-wing blog run by Alan Lange for anti-Semitism for a rather remarkable video they've cooked up against Travis Childers and sent out into the world. (And one wonders why the world thinks so poorly of MIssissippi?) Craig writes:

At Y'all Politics, the focus has been on Rep. Travis Childers, who has yet to declare himself on the President's proposal. And this time YP has gone too far. The two-minute video attack on Rep. Childers' visit to Israel is -- yes, I will say it -- Anti-Semitic. What else do you call an ad that plays Jewish music in the background, tells the Representative to "get a souvenir yarmulke" on the trip and shows pictures of orthodox Jews juxtaposed with Americans at Town Hall meetings? (Note: I am attacking the ad, not the website or its owner.)

One does wonder if our friend Jim Craig and friends have taken time to carefully read some of the blogs they interact with and post on regularly. For many of us blogging old-timers, there's nothing new here. Still, hat tip for calling this out. Too often, throughout Mississippi's history, people have just turned their heads on stuff like this, allowing it to make our state look like it's, well, filled with the kind of people who would such a thing. It's up to the rest of us to do what JIm did and call it out.

Previous Commentsshow

A video attack brought to Mississippi by one of the key SafeCity backers of SB2991. After a while your body of work speaks volumes louder than anything your words could possibly convey.

GeoRoss

Aug 11 2009

Right. If anyone pays attention to the whole thing. Our state is sadly known for a short attention span when it comes to issues such as this. I do believe it's changing, though, as we watch more and more people willing to call out this stuff. Apparently, though, this is the same blogger that was featured in the Ledger on Sunday. It's stunning to see local-corporate media give credence to bloggers who post unsubstantiated rumor, not to mention ugly anti-Islamic, anti-woman and now anti-Semitic rhetoric. Either the mainstream media are blind to extremism, or they don't care. Not sure which is worse. Of course, one answer awaits in the outright racist and xenophobic comments the Ledger allows under its stories, which are probably coming from the people posting on the blogs with the same tenor. The Tablogging phenomenon is disturbing, and it's even worse to mainstream media promoting it. Not to mention: I've heard attorneys say that tablogging hurts cases brought by good people being wronged and trying to sue to get some sort of justice -- the kind of cases where real media outlets know to shut the hell up so as not to affect the victim's case. In one really tragic case, I hear they had to settle for less than hoped due to ridiculous rumormongering and trash-throwing on blogs. Of course, there is nothing wrong with pointing people to good blogs where people post under their names and don't allow trash, rumor and personal attacks to pass as "news," but it's mind-boggling to watch them ignore outright hateful attacks. It certainly speaks to how desperate the mainstream media have become.

DonnaLadd

Aug 11 2009

Someone is challenging Jim for pulling the punch at the end over on his blog: MSbeerbaitammo said... Jim, how can an attack video produced and promoted by the website owner -- as detailed in the credits at the end -- not be an example of said owner's own anti-Semitism, or, at the minimum their own terrible judgment? Either call 'em strikes or balls but please save us from pretending that there is some in-between. I wish people would understand that racism, anti-Semitism, sexism is *always* about behavior -- about the actions we take or don't take due to our own bigotry, or willingness to exploit that of others for political gain. So, the "heart" excuse is kind of weak, with due respect to Jim. I'm sure he's trying to land a needed punch softly, but at least he's landing it, which is more than you can say for most people.

DonnaLadd

Aug 11 2009

"Too often, throughout Mississippi's history, people have just turned their heads on stuff like this..." Kind of like the practice of segregation by calling white-only schools "Academies." This does not surprise me, and it will be promptly forgotten and overlooked as are most racially charged issues in this state.

The Eskimo

Aug 12 2009

Quick Question: Was it your blog's brush back pitch to Alan Lange that made him pull that Antisemitic video from his site? Or was it the RCCC who called and told them they had just raised $150K for Childers in NYC and LA with such a stupid move. By the way, the hypocrisy is laughable. Gregg Harper was on the same trip to Israel last week.

bubbadem

Aug 12 2009

Bubbadem, don't know, but Lange indeed pulled the video. And even apologized for it. What's remarkable is that he went through all the trouble of making it and posting it before it took people like Jim Craig to get him to even notice how anti-Semitic it was. It wasn't like it was a quick post; it took purposeful work. It's good to see a local tablogger apologize for bigotry, though. Maybe it can be a teachable moment for him and others, including all the people who turn their heads away from these tabloggers are actually posting on a regular basis. The personal-attack trains are out of control, and people posting on those sites only propels them forward. Of course, most people who post ugliness on the tablog sites are too embarrassed to use their real names. And they should tell everyone something. These kinds of blogs are quickly jumping their own shark. Incidents like this just highlight what they're really up to.

DonnaLadd

Aug 12 2009

Just saw this in my e-mail, from about 3:30 p.m. yesterday: This is bush-league politics at it's worst YallPolitics.com, a right-wing website that never misses a chance to take a cheap shot at Democrats, has now gone too far with their video about Congressman Travis Childers' recent trip to Israel. To say the video is offensive to the Jewish people is an understatement. In fact, the video lampoons the Jewish community just to score cheap political points against Congressman Childers. We understand that after a lot of negative feedback, Alan Lange, who publishes YallPolitics, pulled the video. But just in case he decides to repost it, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkOKGqxY87E&feature=player_embedded So this is what the health care debate has devolved to among Republicans? Producing offensive videos that lampoon one of our nation's strongest allies just to detract from the need for health care reform? Really? This video is offensive to all of us who believe that the United State's relationship with Israel is a special one. Congressman Childers traveled to Israel to learn about important national security issues. While he was there, he also toured a facility that employs roughly 100 people in Missisippi's First District where he serves. So this is what the right-wing has devolved to? Producing offensive, misleading, and hypocritical videos that lampoon one of our nation's strongest allies just to detract from the real issues at hand? Really? Two things need to happen: Alan Lange, who publishes YallPolitics, should issue a public apology on his website for such an offensive video. Pulling the video is a good first step, but it is not enough. Alan Nunnelee, who is challenging Congressman Childers, should publicly decry such crass, deplorable tactics. Any reasonable human being would do the same thing. We are all for a real debate on the merits of health care, but this is ridiculous. A Jewish colleague of mine called this video "not only offensive, but deplorable". I agree whole-heartedly. Let's rise above this kind of despicable display of political partisanship. And let us never lampoon an entire people, an entire nation, just to score points against an elected official. Please pass this email along to your friend and tell them see to what lengths some people will go to defeat Congressman Childers while he's working to promote national security and create jobs back home. Democratically yours, Jamie Franks

DonnaLadd

Aug 13 2009

Looks like the owner of the #1 political news website in Mississippi, or so he claims, has stepped in it. He's become a lightning rod and campaign issue. All the people he's whacked have long memories. Oops. Better hope that nobody downloaded the video before he removed it. Bad news if this gets on TV or picked up nationally.

GeoRoss

Aug 13 2009

I think i should do the Bob Marley song here with additions from Walt. Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned. Everywhere is war. Me say war. That until there is no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation. Until the color of a man's (or woman's) skin is of no more significance than the color of his (or her) eyes - me say war. That until the day the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship rule our international morality will remain in but a lasting illusion to be pursued, but never attained- everywhere is war. And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers (and sisters everywhere) in sub-human bondage have been toppled, (and) utterly destroyed , well, everywhere is war - me say war. Until the republicans will stop acting like moral-less devils and treat others less fortunate than them like they want to be treated. I say war. War in the east, War in the west. War in the south. And war in the north. We don't need no more trouble. What we need is love. And more love.

Walt

Aug 14 2009

Yes, that particular blog publisher keeps stepping in it, no doubt, Geo. Here's what Adam said in our February 2008 story about the little discriminatory safety zone he tried to get through the Legislature (and which Kamikaze exposed for all to see): Alan Lange, a local conservative blogger and a SafeCity board member, would not comment to the Jackson Free Press for this story. As the JFP goes to press, critics are peppering Lange’s blog with comments demanding to know why SafeCity appeared to work behind the scenes, without most council members’ knowledge, in promoting the bill. Others point out that Lange’s home, as well as homes of some other SafeCity board members, happen to be within the proposed zone. Lange deleted the snarkiest blog comments (PDF) Monday, saying he doesn’t allow blog readers to come “into my house” and “piss on my rug.” How is he unable to predict that such a discriminatory safety zone, or such an offensive video that took time to prepare, won't cause a sh!tstorm? Does he think? That is some echo chamber to exist inside.

DonnaLadd

Aug 14 2009