Excellent writing (and attitude and tone) as always. As stupid as "AI" can be, it gets some things right. Grok, the in-house AI (LLM) at Elon(save-white-South-Africans!)'s x.com, sez: "I estimate a 75-85% likelihood Trump is a Putin-compromised asset". I hate to link to the often-toxic X, but this xweet is just so delicious: https://x.com/jeffreymlevy/status/1897013490067685745
This is an interesting exercise; I'm glad you did it. Much of the print journalism has so scrupulously attempted to be even-handed that it has missed the larger story. The dutifully report the IDF talking points without the context that much of the bombing appears aimed as much at destroying the viability of Gaza as a home for ordinary Palestinians as at destroying Hamas. The TV journalism showing starving children and rubble everywhere gives us a much clearer picture.
I've worked as a journalist. The only comment I'd add to the blame you place on the reporters is not to forget the role of editors in shaping what appears in print. They deserve as much censure as the reporters, if not more, because their job is to make reporters go back and fill in the gaps and blanks in the story, and editors have been known to remove important details that were in pieces that the reporter originally submitted.
I get that. And as we all know, it's not the writers who decide on the headlines. But, in this case -- Patrick Kingsley is not some hapless intern or freelancer with no power. He's the Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times. The way this story is framed through and through, he had power over.
Does anybody else get the sense that when Trump (and Trumpists) say "antisemitic" they really mean anti-Netanyahu? By this definition much (most?) of the Israeli populace is antisemitic. And that Trump's fondness for Netanyahu has nothing to do with a philosemitic or pro-Israeli attitude, but mostly has to do with solidarity with another authoritarian staying in office to stay out of jail? (perhaps enhanced by rosy visions of the crooked deals they might cut)
I’m not sure that Trump has any fondness for Netanyahu; have heard that in fact he really hates Netanyahu and blames him for the 2020 election loss, and recent actions might bear that out. But Trump does have close ties to Israel including his family. And you are right that the only way to stay out of jail or at least stop the lawfare was to take office again. As for Trumpists and antisemitism, there are Christian Zionists among them, eg Hegseth. None are more philo Semitic or love Israel more than the Christian Zionist, not even the Jews themselves!
I could go for that - that Trump makes a public show of his fondness for other authoritarian leaders doesn't necessarily mean he likes them.
Since you seem to have dug into the Christian Zionist thing, could you tell me - are there Christian Zionists that are _not_ end-timers (i.e., non-apocalyptic)?
Probably not but I’m not gonna say for sure because I’m not an expert on Christian theology. And it’s probably worth mentioning that the religious Jews in Israel have the same kind of end times prophecies. The red heifers and that kind of stuff, even though they seem not to like for people to know about it. They know how crazy it sounds to outsiders
Excellent writing (and attitude and tone) as always. As stupid as "AI" can be, it gets some things right. Grok, the in-house AI (LLM) at Elon(save-white-South-Africans!)'s x.com, sez: "I estimate a 75-85% likelihood Trump is a Putin-compromised asset". I hate to link to the often-toxic X, but this xweet is just so delicious: https://x.com/jeffreymlevy/status/1897013490067685745
This is an interesting exercise; I'm glad you did it. Much of the print journalism has so scrupulously attempted to be even-handed that it has missed the larger story. The dutifully report the IDF talking points without the context that much of the bombing appears aimed as much at destroying the viability of Gaza as a home for ordinary Palestinians as at destroying Hamas. The TV journalism showing starving children and rubble everywhere gives us a much clearer picture.
I've worked as a journalist. The only comment I'd add to the blame you place on the reporters is not to forget the role of editors in shaping what appears in print. They deserve as much censure as the reporters, if not more, because their job is to make reporters go back and fill in the gaps and blanks in the story, and editors have been known to remove important details that were in pieces that the reporter originally submitted.
I get that. And as we all know, it's not the writers who decide on the headlines. But, in this case -- Patrick Kingsley is not some hapless intern or freelancer with no power. He's the Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times. The way this story is framed through and through, he had power over.
Agreed—it’s pretty shameful all around.
Why are you surprised that ChatGPT of Sam Altman (EA advocate a la SBF) is only slightly better than the very pro Netanyahu NYT? That is weird.
Does anybody else get the sense that when Trump (and Trumpists) say "antisemitic" they really mean anti-Netanyahu? By this definition much (most?) of the Israeli populace is antisemitic. And that Trump's fondness for Netanyahu has nothing to do with a philosemitic or pro-Israeli attitude, but mostly has to do with solidarity with another authoritarian staying in office to stay out of jail? (perhaps enhanced by rosy visions of the crooked deals they might cut)
Yeah it's authoritarians just really liking each other.
I’m not sure that Trump has any fondness for Netanyahu; have heard that in fact he really hates Netanyahu and blames him for the 2020 election loss, and recent actions might bear that out. But Trump does have close ties to Israel including his family. And you are right that the only way to stay out of jail or at least stop the lawfare was to take office again. As for Trumpists and antisemitism, there are Christian Zionists among them, eg Hegseth. None are more philo Semitic or love Israel more than the Christian Zionist, not even the Jews themselves!
I could go for that - that Trump makes a public show of his fondness for other authoritarian leaders doesn't necessarily mean he likes them.
Since you seem to have dug into the Christian Zionist thing, could you tell me - are there Christian Zionists that are _not_ end-timers (i.e., non-apocalyptic)?
Probably not but I’m not gonna say for sure because I’m not an expert on Christian theology. And it’s probably worth mentioning that the religious Jews in Israel have the same kind of end times prophecies. The red heifers and that kind of stuff, even though they seem not to like for people to know about it. They know how crazy it sounds to outsiders