Puppet Journalism

When Nasrallah speaks, the world listens, even if he speaks idiocy. “I believe Israel could have been behind [the two incidents in which Spanish and Columbian UN troops were killed].” No doubt that’s why his group is escorting UNIFIL soldiers so they’re not hit by Al-Queda IEDs.

There’s no thought to reality testing his claims, or refuting them (or even discussing them) in the article (look here). This is an example of the kind of idiot journalism that has come to symbolize this generation’s journalists. After all, if you talk back, question, or disagree with a Famous Name, at best you won’t be invited for any exclusive interviews! (At worst, it’s fatwa time!)

Yes, Israeli could have been behind the killings of the UN soldiers (no doubt it would be easier to accomplish when they take their R&R in Israel, which is where they go). Israel also could secretly be transmitting mind control signals to the Iranian President through its squirrel spies, or, equally probably, using nuclear space lasers to melt the ice caps so as to drown the Arab countries’ shoreline populations and oil terminals. Oh, please, would someone quote an unnamed former Israeli intelligence source as saying that?

We depend on journalists to report news. Idiotic babble does not rise to that level and should not be quoted. Maybe if public officials were only quoted when they made sense, they would speak more rationally (and sparingly!). On speak, but not be heard, which, all in all, isn’t a bad thing.