Jon Stewart making trouble again

[Keith Millea]

http://rawstory.com/2009/10/daily-show-i...-conflict/





Daily Show under fire for covering Israeli-Palestinian conflict



By Daniel Tencer
Thursday, October 29th, 2009 -- 5:55 pm
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Jon Stewart's comedy news show The Daily Show is reportedly under fire from pro-Israeli groups for giving airtime to two pro-Palestinian figures on Wednesday night.
Stewart hosted Palestinian democracy activist Mustafa Barghouti and human rights activist Anna Baltzer, author of A Witness in Palestine, who explained the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of the Palestinian side.
According to a letter reportedly written by Baltzer and circulated by blogger Eric Johnson, the show "was overwhelmed with angry emails and phone calls prior to the appearance, and up until the last minute it seemed like they might cancel."
"During the taping the show had its only heckler in 11 years," Baltzer wrote. "The entire staff were very nervous and may come to regret the monumental decision (and not make it again) as they will surely be inundated now that the show has aired."
At one point during the interview, Barghouti asserted: "We [Palestinians] are struggling for liberty, we are struggling for justice. It's Palestinians who have been subjected to the longest occupation in history and a system of segregation that is totally unjust."

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At that point, a voice in the audience could be heard shouting: "Liar!"
"Apparently we have Joe Wilson with us tonight," Stewart quipped, referring the US House representative who yelled "You lie!" during President Obama's address to Congress last month.
The segment drew criticisms from a number of pro-Israeli activists and commenters.
"Jon Stewart [had] a couple of disgraceful guests on his show on Wednesday night for a night of Israel bashing," wrote blogger Israel Matzav. "No, there's no pro-Israel counterpoint (perhaps he will try to convince us that ISM activist Baltzer - who is Jewish - is meant to provide balance). And I thought Stewart's was a comedy show. What if no one watched him?"
Not all pro-Israeli voices were as critical.
"It doesn't actually seem that groundbreaking," wrote Rafi G. "He has a Palestinian talking about Palestinian rights and he has an Jewish leftist talking about Palestinian rights. They are advocating a non-violent approach, both from a Palestinian point of view."
But the blogger noted that "nobody said a word about Palestinian terror or their not accepting peace deals that were offered."
Baltzer is now urging Daily Show viewers to send letters of support to the show, in an effort to keep the show from being dissuaded from covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the future.
And some commentators are praising Stewart for taking on the issue. TalkingPointsMemo blogger M.J. Rosenberg credits Stewart with starting a "sea change" in American media's coverage of the Middle Eastern conflict.
Rosenberg wrote:

Not long ago, no mainstream media personality would ever allow himself to be associated with anyone who suggests that diplomacy, not war, is the way to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Being thought of as not 100% down with the government of Israel was a career killer. And, if it wasn't, media and show business figures believed it was and that was the same thing.
That era ended with the rise of Jon Stewart, the most trusted television personality in America (and the only one the kids pay attention to). Stewart is the antithesis of the scared Jew.

The following video was broadcast on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, October 28, 2009.The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cExclusive - Anna Baltzer & Mustafa Barghouti Extended Interview Pt. 1www.thedailyshow.com[URL="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes"]Daily Show
Full Episodes[/URL]Political HumorHealth Care CrisisThe Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cExclusive - Anna Baltzer & Mustafa Barghouti Extended Interview Pt. 2www.thedailyshow.com[URL="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes"]Daily Show
Full Episodes[/URL]Political HumorHealth Care Crisis

[Adrian Mack]

Anna (who appeared with Mustafa Barghuti on the Daily Show) circulated a message about her appearance. I am citing from it (with her permission): "Last night Dr. Barghouti and I were on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about Palestine. The show was overwhelmed with angry emails and phone calls prior to the appearance, and up until the last minute it seemed like they might cancel. During the taping the show had it's only heckler in 11 years.The entire staff were very nervous and may come to regret the monumental decision (and not make it again) as they will surely be inundated now that the show has aired..Many of you who watched the show on TV noticed that everything of real substance that I said was edited out. The major issues cut out were (1) the US role in aiding Israel, (2) the lack of adequate coverage in mainstream US media, and (3) the Palestinian-led movement for Boycott / Divestment / Sanctions (BDS) to nonviolently pressure Israel to comply with international law."

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2009/10/an...-show.html

[Magda Hassan]

Anna (who appeared with Mustafa Barghuti on the Daily Show) circulated a message about her appearance. I am citing from it (with her permission): "Last night Dr. Barghouti and I were on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about Palestine. The show was overwhelmed with angry emails and phone calls prior to the appearance, and up until the last minute it seemed like they might cancel. During the taping the show had it's only heckler in 11 years.The entire staff were very nervous and may come to regret the monumental decision (and not make it again) as they will surely be inundated now that the show has aired..Many of you who watched the show on TV noticed that everything of real substance that I said was edited out. The major issues cut out were (1) the US role in aiding Israel, (2) the lack of adequate coverage in mainstream US media, and (3) the Palestinian-led movement for Boycott / Divestment / Sanctions (BDS) to nonviolently pressure Israel to comply with international law."

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2009/10/an...-show.html

Oh, that's no good. Here is the Daily Show web site. I hope people will post their thoughts here so they don't get away with this censorship and tell them they support having these guests on the show. Tell Jon and his staff about the hasbara brigade that floods the internet with pro-Israeli propaganda at the first sign of any Palestinain voices or in their eyes anti- Israeli attitudes.
http://www.indecisionforever.com/2009/10...barghouti/

[Peter Presland]

I spotted this Friday on URUKNET and had intended to post it as a good illustration of why Mark - or anybody else - must not feel obliged to refrain from discussion of Zionism on DPF.

I'm too pre-occupied elsewhere to engage as effectively as I would wish with the issue right now. Suffice to say that Dr Barghuti is as qualified, credible and capable a representative of the Palestinian case as there is, which is precisely why his appearance on a networked US show caused such faux outrage. It demonstrates two things very clearly:

1. The Zionist fear of allowing the Palestinian case to BE heard at all.
2. The power of the Zionist lobby in the US (and elswhere) to effectively suppress the Palestinian case.

I posted this video back in January. Dr Barghuti features prominently in it. It was made by CBS and attracted similar vitriol at the time. Playing it again today I had to try 3 times before getting past the introductory Intel advertisement, so you may have to persevere. I recommend it because, coming from a near MS US outfit with the consequent 'sensitivities' on all things Israeli/Palestinian necessarily involved, it nonetheless gives a startling insight into the present Israeli/Palestinian situation and the sort of things Dr Barghuti has to put up with at home.

I challenge anyone here - and especially those who seem to regard the anti-Zionist case as 'Bullshit' - to watch it and tell me why Dr Baghuti should be given anything other than equal air-time to any Zionist on networked US media - let alone be effectively banned from it altogether.

[Helen Reyes]

Mike Rivero of whatreallyhappened.com is criticizing Jon Stewart from the other side, for repeating warmongering rhetoric during that same broadcast about the Iranian president allegedly wanting to "wipe Israel off the map" and the claim that Iran has nuclear weapons. He's also been telling his radio audience that a certain law makes all US foreign aid dependent on the receiving nation having signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which bars Israel from receiving US aid.