Okay this #askMason thing whereby I am answering questions from Gaza, will happen tomorrow... fire questions - I'll draw on experts hereHe'll answer questions! He'll draw on "experts!" Finally, we can discover things that we didn't know!
— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) July 29, 2014
So I asked a few questions, with zero expectation of any answers.
Here are my questions along with some good ones from CiFWatch.
Here are my questions along with some good ones from CiFWatch.
#askMason We know historically that Hamas rockets often fall short, hurting Gaza civilians. Why don't reporters in Gaza talk about that?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason It is obvious that there has been heavy fighting in Gaza. Why do reporters assume all damage/casualties are from IDF?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason The Gaza Interior Ministry has instructed Gazans not discuss certain things with reporters. How do you find out the truth?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason There have been stories about Gazans intimidating reporters who report Hamas rocket fire, for example. Does that affect reporting?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Israeli media reports that Hamas has executed a number of protesters. Can you or any reporter confirm? Heard anything?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Palestinian media reports about 30 collaborators killed by Hamas so far. Have you or any reporters on the scene heard this?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason When reporters use absurd phrases like "indiscriminate" shooting by Israel, a clear lie, are there any consequences?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Why has the mainstream media been uncritically citing Mads Gilbert, a known 9/11 conspiracy theorist? #Gaza
— CiF Watch (@CiFWatch) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Do any of the reporters in Gaza have any military experience? Actual combat experience? If not, do you think that is a problem?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason All else being equal, do reporters in Gaza believe Hamas statements more than IDF statements?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Has any reporter in Gaza asked UNRWA any questions about how its material ends up in tunnels or how rockets end up in schools?
— ElderOfZiyon (@elderofziyon) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Why have journalists ignored statistical evidence that contradict Hamas claims re. # of civilians killed? http://t.co/YheFBdPo5t
— CiF Watch (@CiFWatch) July 29, 2014
#AskMason Have you personally seen any #Hamas personnel present in Al Shifa hospital or any other hospital? #Gaza
— CiF Watch (@CiFWatch) July 29, 2014
Surprise! Even though the questions we asked were a very high percentage of the ones he received, Paul Mason refused to answer every single one.
Instead he answered softball questions from people anguished over Gaza deaths and asking about how the electricity is there.
What a joke these Gaza "journalists" are. They are more interested in making reports that make Hamas happy than in doing any serious journalism.
I think I have more story scoops from Gaza than the reporters on the ground have - combined.
When a part time unpaid blogger uncovers more facts than the professionals do, perhaps it is time for some self-reflection by the media. I wish someone would ask an editor of a major media outlet why my stories are less newsworthy, by any decent definition of news, than the things we are seeing from these clowns.
By the way, looking over my posts from the 2009 war - a war which I doubt most of these journalists covered - I discovered that Hamas intimidated reporters then as well. But no reporter mentioned it at the time (except one case by the New York Times.)
The media coverage in this war is not just bad, it is scandalous. It is a product of groupthink, political correctness, laziness and intimidation that seems to be welcomed rather than resisted.