Patterico's Pontifications

7/31/2006

The Incredible Anti-Israel Bias of the L.A. Times

Filed under: Dog Trainer,War — Patterico @ 6:05 am



A week ago today, I was in the office of my friend alert reader hank k., who was ranting about the L.A. Times‘s coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. He still brings his paper to work every weekday, and showed me the front pages from the last week or so, which were just sitting around his office.

I don’t subscribe anymore, so I’d missed these. I started leafing through the front pages, and was aghast at what I saw: page after page after page of Lebanese suffering, with scarcely a hint of any suffering by Israeli civilians.

I asked my friend if I could borrow his newspapers to bring home, so I could eventually do a blog post about what I’d seen. He lent me the papers, and last night I took a bunch of photos of the front pages of each of these papers.

Here’s what I saw, beginning with the first Page One that my friend gave me:

Friday, July 14, 2006:

The banner headline is: Israel Blocks Lebanese Coast. And the picture on the front page depicts Lebanon ravaged by Israel:

Pict0040.jpg

NIGHTTIME STRIKE: Fuel tanks burn at Beirut’s international airport after Israeli planes bombarded it for the second time in a day. As the international community called for restraint, neither Israel nor Hezbollah shows signs of backing down.

Directly below that is an article titled “Despite Hezbollah’s Ties to Iran and Syria, It Does Act Alone.” The article does not bear out the promise of the headline; it says only that “some officials and experts say can Hezbollah can also move on its own initiative.” Next to the article is a picture of body bags, with the caption:

CASUALTIES: A member of the Lebanese Red Cross transports bodies to a hospital morgue in Tyre.

Moving on to Monday, July 17, 2006, where the picture on the front page depicts Lebanon ravaged by Israel:

Pict0039.jpg

THE RUINS: A woman carries pillows she retrieved from her apartment in a bombed-out section of Beirut not far from the destroyed Hezbollah headquarters. She salvaged her belongings minutes before another Israeli airstrike hit the area.

I posted about the lead stories in this newspaper the day the stories ran. One article called the battle between Israel and Hezbollah a “blood feud,” while another said that “some” believed that Israel was using a “pretext” to attack.

The front page on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 depicts a Lebanese family driven from Lebanon by Israeli attacks:

Pict0038.jpg

SEEKING AN EXIT: A French family trying to leave Lebanon approaches an outdoor embassy desk in Beirut, hoping to leave on a ferry to Cypress. Tens of thousands have fled the country.

Below the fold is a picture of a bandaged and crying Lebanese girl, and — for a little balance — a picture of a man wounded by a rocket fired from Lebanon.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006:

Pict0037.jpg

GETTING OUT: An American woman and two children wearing protective gear are escorted to a Marine helicopter evacuating them from the U.S. Embassy near Beirut to Cypress.

They need to leave, you see, because of those damn Israeli attacks. And you can see from the headline that “Israel’s Attack is 3-Pronged.” Which is a lotta prongs.

Oh, just under the fold, the headline reads: “Dazed Refugees Flood Beirut.” With a sub-headline: “Lebanon is facing a vast humanitarian crisis, with the displaced estimated at 500,000.” The refugees are “frazzled,” “[t]raumatized and disoriented.” Their eyes “brim[] with tears.” Sure, tens of thousands of Israelis have also been displaced from their homes due to Hezbollah rocket attacks, “but they have not suffered the food, water and medical shortages facing the Lebanese.”

Get ready for more wailing. We’re heading into:

Thursday, July 20, 2006:

Pict0036.jpg

DEVASTATION: A Lebanese woman cries out near a truck that had been part of a convoy targeted by Israeli warplaces in Beirut.

As you can see, the banner headline screams: “Bombs Rain on Bunker in Beirut.” It was “the single deadliest day for Lebanese civilians in a week of fighting.”

We are told of “[t]hunderous blasts” over Beirut. We hear about the 55 Lebanese civilians killed, raising the death toll beyond 300. The U.N., of course, blames both sides. We are told:

Critics have said Israel’s response to the killing of eight soldiers and the capture of two others by the Shiite Muslim guerillas last week is disproportionate.

Ah, critics. Is there anything they don’t know?

Friday, July 21, 2006:

Pict0035.jpg

Look at the bottom of that picture: “Fleeing for Their Lives Into the Grim Unknown.”

And onto Monday, July 24, 2006:

Pict0034.jpg

FACE OF WAR: Injured Lebanese civilians are brought to Jabel Amel Hospital in Tyre. The area around the city, identified by Israel as a major source of Hezbollah rocket attacks, was repeatedly struck by jets. Dozens of fleeing civilians were caught in the attacks.

And it was that Monday morning when my friend handed me the stack of newspapers. In fairness, days later, he also gave me newspapers from the weekends, which were just as bad. But I left them at the office and can’t show you those front pages today.

Here’s something you probably won’t be seeing in the L.A. Times — a story with referencing a picture that shows that Hezbollah stages its rocket attacks in the middle of civilian areas.

But why provide that context, when you can run pictures of crying, suffering Lebanese — day after day after day after day after day after day after day?

P.S. From the linked story:

The images, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Herald Sun, show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons.

In case any of you can’t read . . .

41 Responses to “The Incredible Anti-Israel Bias of the L.A. Times”

  1. Why are people continually suprised by the Left’s unconditional support for Jihad? The Left unanimously and unconditionally supported Communism during the cold war. Until Hitler and Stalin had a falling out, the entire American left supported German Socialism in World War Two. It is no suprise that in this war, the Left is also on the side of the enemy.

    The Left has unamiguously made clear that in this war they are on the side of the Jihad. After 9/11 some had to pretend that they were against al-Qaida. But Ward Churchill, Deb Frisch, Sami Al-Arian and the other leaders of the progressive movement made clear that it was a facade. Every leftist supports jihad, every leftist supports Hamas, every leftist supports Hezbolla, every leftist supports Naveed Haq, every leftist supports CAIR, and the list goes on and on and on. This war will not be won unless we recognize the enemy for what it is – Islam and the Left. Both need to be eradicated for peace to prevail.

    Barry (ff5b47)

  2. I’ve even noticed on things like Yahoo’s “slideshows” that they feature pics of Lebanese vics and destruction, but where are the pics of Israel which has endured thousands of rockets?

    LGF points to this UK blogger who goes though a series of photos out of Qana demonstrating how utterly mercenary are the Islamists in using bodies to pose for foreign photographers, and how those so-called photo-journalists allow themselves to become agents of Hezbollah.

    Now we get Arab American Institute blaming BUSH for the violence in the ME, and CAIR declaring Israel a “terrorist” state.

    I cannot begin to express my contempt for the Hezbollah/Hamas supporters …especially the ones on American soil. And it looks like that includes editors at the LeftAngeles Times

    Darleen (03346c)

  3. Selective Distress…

    So, the UN Security Council feels “extreme shock and distress” over the tragic events in Lebanon yesterday. Well, bully for them….

    Overtaken by Events (41d120)

  4. Now we know the answer to the “Mystery.”

    L.A. Times Editors: “We Just Can’t Solve the Mystery of Why that Muslim Guy Shot All Those Jews”

    And the LAT staff did not enmass go out and kill Jews.

    They figure that just because you hate Jews and Isreal and love terrorists doesn’t mean you go out and kill the odd Jew here and there. You actually have to have a real reason.

    P.S. ‘Live Preview of Comment’ stopped after the first sentence of my comment. Does blockcomment cause this?

    Uncle Bill (acb9a8)

  5. Is this part of a pattern of evidence LATimes editors are anti-semitic? You never say.

    Israeli newspapers on the Qana strike:

    http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060731/481/9c236797940e4e048d396e8bd7e01930

    steve (5322bd)

  6. Photo journalists apparatchiks for Hezbollah…

    If one hasn’t been paying attention closely, one would look at the news coverage of the Middle East and think Israel unilaterally started the latest round of violence and it never suffered a single rocket strike or casualty. Coverage by……

    Darleen's Place (1650a7)

  7. Uh steve

    Got a week’s worth of Israel/Hezbollah coverage from Israeli papers to show us?

    Because that’s what Patterico is doing in showing a pattern of Left Angeles Times “coverage.”

    Darleen (03346c)

  8. Since in the real world, there are no “innocent civilians” when they are aiding and abetting the enemy. Is it time to drop leaflets on the LAT HQ warning any civilians that may have wondered in to evacuate before the bombing of this part of the terrorist infrastructure begins?

    Lew Clark (030038)

  9. As a resident of Los Angeles, this has been a subject of much conversation for years. It’s almost as if the LA Times decided that since they couldn’t compete with the NY Times and Washington Post as a national paper, so they decided to go for the niche of being the country’s biggest alternative press.

    Neil (e9ebae)

  10. […] Meanwhile, it sounds like Olmert’s finally had it with the crocodile tears. Even Israelis must have a breaking point when it comes to this horrifically cynical, pretextual faux-outrage, especially when it’s as often based on lies as not. Besides, like the boss says, “There’s always something burning with the jihadi members of the Religion of Perpetual Outrage.” They’re going to riot and torch embassies whether it’s Qana or cartoons, and Israel’s going to be blamed no matter what, so why not ignore them and keep the heat on Hezbollah? […]

    Hot Air » Blog Archive » Qana: The photographic evidence (d4224a)

  11. Thank you for the link to the Australian story of Hezbollah in plain clothes fighting from Christian areas.
    Here is another enlightening story:

    From LGF (littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog)Wednesday, July 26, 2006
    Canadian General: UN Observer Post Used By Hizballah
    Retired Canadian Major General Lewis Mackenzie was interviewed on CBC radio, and had some very interesting news about the UN observer post hit by Israeli shells; the Canadian peacekeeper killed there had previously emailed Mackenzie telling him that Hizballah was using their post as cover. (Hat tip: Isadore.)

    We received emails from him a few days ago, and he was describing the fact that he was taking fire within, in one case, three meters of his position for tactical necessity, not being targeted. Now that’s veiled speech in the military. What he was telling us was Hezbollah soldiers were all over his position and the IDF were targeting them. And that’s a favorite trick by people who don’t have representation in the UN. They use the UN as shields knowing that they can’t be punished for it.

    Ummmm, Mr. Clark, was your comment meant as sarcasm?? The LATimes will suffer violence from those who are also anti-Israel and in league with Hezbollah long before they will be targeted as part of the “terrorist infrastructure”.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  12. Diplomacy and the Hounds of Hell, Part XIV…

    And forget about any self imposed ceasefire by Israel since the Hizbullah rockets continue flying into Israel. Israel says that the cessation of airstrikes will not include imminent threats. In other words, if they see rocket launchers firing, they w…..

    A Blog For All (59ce3a)

  13. Who among us would want to be in a foxhole with a liberal? These folks have crossed the line from merely unpatriotic to out-and-out disloyal. That they only consider the suffering in Lebanon and turn a blind eye to death and destruction in Israel should come as no surprise- they are on the same side as our nation’s enemies. The blind eye turned from Iraqi, Taliban, and Palestinian atrocities speaks for itself and will certainly continue. The Western left has forged a de facto alliance with Islamist extremism. They aren’t just rooting for the other side, they have joined it.

    The major news media reflects this and I will predict that the news coverage will become even more anti-Israel and anti-American as the current operations in Lebanon proceed. If the MSM seems anti-American, it’s for a perfectly sensible reason: they ARE anti-American. The George Bush tirades are simply a smokescreen for a very disagreeable thought: these fine folk detest themselves and their freedoms, and they detest those of their fellow Americans as well.

    I wish that I had an optimistic outlook for all this, but I don’t. The enemy in this war knows all about our disloyal left and will continue to exploit it.

    trentk269 (3d3bfe)

  14. […] The LA sheriff’s office said today that the D.A. will review its handling of Gibson’s arrest. I know just the man for the job. He’s famously diligent, his integrity’s beyond reproach, and he has a knack for prosecuting people unfavorably disposed towards Jews. […]

    Hot Air » Blog Archive » Breaking: Mel Gibson enters rehab (d4224a)

  15. […] Patterico blasts The Incredible Anti-Israel Bias of the L.A. Times so that I don’t have to! Go and watch him take this pathetic excuse for a major national newspaper apart with a day-to-day examination of its Page 1, above-the-fold pictorials and headlines that prove beyond any doubt that the LA Times thinks Hezbollah is hunky dory and that Israel is a murderous bully. […]

    OKIE on the Lam » (e2cef7)

  16. Representative John Randolph of Virginia said the following of his House Colleague, Edward Livingston of Louisiana circa 1831:

    “He is a man of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt. Like rotten mackerel by moonlight, he both shines and stinks.”

    Aside from noting that political corruption in Louisiana has been around for a long time–see current Louisiana Representative William Jefferson with the $90,000 in cool payoff cash he keeps in his freezer, this is also a very apt description of the intellectual corruption at both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.But I may be giving them too much; I seriously doubt that either Dean Baquet or Bill Keller is a man of splendid abilities. If they were, they wouldn’t tolerate the shoddy work of their editors and reporters.

    I no longer buy the New York Times; I do buy the Los Angeles Times–I glance at the front page and throw it away. I do like the sports pages, and a bit of the business section. Otherwise, the LAT is just a mackerel wrapper. My dog is already trained.

    Mike Myers (290636)

  17. The depressing thing about these organizations is how predictable they are. Here is a discussion of the NY Times attitude toward UN ambassadors going back to the 1960s. It isn’t just “Pinch”, his father was every bit as feckless as he is. The LA Times is actually slightly better. At least they didn’t put the fake Qana photos on the front page as was done in all of Europe.

    Mike K (403180)

  18. Kudos to Patterico for publicly standing up for Israel.

    The LA Times is pathological in its hatred for Israel, as well as every other institution of western democracy & freedom.
    And ultimately, all this antipathy toward free democracies—especially those which honor private ownership—is the legacy of Marxism.
    It is a legacy which seduces people into judging people/institutions by standards OTHER THAN moral principles.

    Since I’m a sports fan, I realize a few people still will take a ‘harmless’ peek at the LA Times sports page with the conventional wisdom that the Times ‘cannot possibly’ taint the sports page with its left-wing lunacy.
    However, since the April transition from Bill Dwyre to lefty Randy Harvey as managing editor of the sports page, I’m afraid the Times’ coverage of sports has been more political in nature.
    Whether it’s been the bizarre rantings of soccer writer Grahame Jones against President Bush, or Mike Penner’s publicly stated anger against American TV broadcasters whom show support for the AMERICAN team in international competitions, or the Times’ outrageous hit piece done on Lance Armstrong a few weeks ago, it appears even the sports page at Spring Street has publicly declared its political intentions.

    Oh yeah, and by the way, even angry old Michael Hiltzik has recently been re-assigned to the sports page as an “investigative reporter.”
    Can’t wait to see what the fruition of his anger will be…perhaps a hit piece on pro athletes who contribute to GOP candidates ?

    [I’m not a sports guy, but I will have a sports piece coming up, again courtesy of alert reader hank “Karl Rove” k. — P]

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  19. An attempt at sarcasm, MD in Philly.

    Lew Clark (6ec3e2)

  20. Thanks to Darleen and Mike K for those devestating links- Patterico, did you check them out?!?! Those people should be investigated for war crimes. Would they have been so cold, ruthless, and evil to purposefully kill children to stage these pictures?? Look at how clean the clothes are of those who supposedly were digging through the rubble!!! This makes using UN peacekeepers as a shield look noble!!!

    Secretary Rice, are you watching!?!? By all means “investigate” the accident!!!

    It would be wonderful (CIA, NSA are you listening?) to hack into Al Jezeera with these photos and expanations. A great number of people will believe what they want, but for those willing to look at facts this is condemning. As the old saying goes, there should be a special place reserved in Hell for those who do such things, and a special place at a gallows prior.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  21. I have lived and worked in LA for around 25 years so I know the territory. The complete collapse of LAT circulation has not seen an appreciable contraction among the Jewish residents of the West Side and the hillsides; places from which it seems the oh so liberal Jewish/Hollywood elites spew forth their contempt for Bush, the war, and the other liberal targets du jour. I have no idea how any Jew can still read the LAT or support the increasingly anti-Semitic “Left Community,” but remember that millions of Jews sat in Germany for years after Hitler announced he intended to wipe them out.

    Howard Veit (28df94)

  22. Patterico and EVERYBODY-

    You have to check out the EU Referendum blog that Mike K links to above. First rate monstrous scum bags afoot it seems.

    Will the LATimes cover it???

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  23. Patterico, I think you misread the last sentence in my post, comment # 19, which was:
    *******
    Can’t wait to see what the fruition of his anger will be…perhaps a hit piece on pro athletes who contribute to GOP candidates ?
    *******

    I was referring to not being able to wait to see the fruition of MICHAEL HILTZIK’S anger, rather than your anger.
    I figure Hiltzik’s left-wing anger—as well as the sports page’s new political undertones—will elicit him to write some sort kind of sports article disguised as a partisan hit piece.

    Just wanted to clarify that—didn’t want you to misconstrue it as a slap at you.

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  24. Whoops, pardon me, I meant to write that my comments were originally in # 18.

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  25. Wow, Alex really handed you your ass.

    patriotboy (e8df82)

  26. The postscript to the post suggests otherwise.

    Patterico (50c3cd)

  27. From the story (as set forth in the P.S. to the above post):

    The images, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Herald Sun, show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons.

    Yes, “rockets.”

    I changed one word in the post (“with” to “references”) to ensure accuracy. The underlying point is crystal clear: according to the story, there is photographic evidence of Hezbollah launching rocket attacks from civilian areas.

    Someone has been handed his ass, but I don’t think it’s me . . .

    Patterico (50c3cd)

  28. Tried to leave a trackback, but alas, haloscan has other ideas.

    Awesome piece. I have also noticed, as I watch CNN especially, many television reports on the suffering of the Lebaneese. One especially egregious promo talked about all that Hezbollah did for the people, how it was the backbone of southern Lebanon, friend of the people, a people’s militia building schools, subsidizing the poor, ad nauseum.

    Not so much about firing increasing more sophisticated rockets deeper and deeper into Israel.

    http://bitsofbrain.wordpress.com/2006/08/02/my-point-exactly/

    TBOB (81334e)

  29. Anyone who thinks they can justify this is a pig, pure and simple, a pig, with not a shred of human decency in his body. The people who create “wars” like these are the same people who have never had wars of bombardment march across their homes.

    Fascist pigs applaud this horrific stuff. Back on 9/11 people were outraged at mass murder, now the same people don’t seem to give a damn. It’s sick.

    Look at those dead children. They could be anyones kids. Doesn’t that bring a tear to your eye?

    Gina Kay (6d0b93)

  30. Hezbollah is launching attacke from residential areas, and patriotboy’s take is that an idiotblogger “handed you your ass” for pointing it out where the LA Times did not?

    JC, you’re as much a dirtbag as you are a moron. Too bad Hezbollah isn’t in your house, as I’m sure you’d appreciate the return fire. Of course, you’d be so busy fetching them snacks that it might take you a while to notice.

    Pablo (08e1e8)

  31. The people who create “wars” like these are the same people who have never had wars of bombardment march across their homes.

    Actually, many, many Hezbollah members are Lebanese and they’ve had war at home for a long time. So has Israel.

    The thing that cannot be justified is putting offensive weapons in residential areas. That’s why it’s a war crime, and bombing them is not.

    If those people died in an Israeli airstrike, their blood is on Hezbollah’s hands. Hezbollah justifies it as useful propaganda.

    Pablo (08e1e8)

  32. re: Gina “moral equivalency”

    Gina’s is basically a juvenile understanding of the situation. While reasonable adults are rightfully horrified at unnecessary death and destruction, they also realize that in war, such tragic things are going to happen, especially if the enemy operates from a death cult mentality which eschews any pretense at civilized behavior.

    Hezbollah hides behind and uses civilians to protect itself. They are no morally different than bank robbers who hold and murder hostages in a standoff with police.

    Bank robbers are criminally liable for each act of violence that arises from their crime, and so is Hezbollah.

    Are there no adults left in the American Left?

    Darleen (03346c)

  33. Patterico: Second Rate Mind, Third Rate Quibbler…

    We posted on Patterico’s latest mind-numbing stupidity here, taking our dull-witted media watchdog to task for claiming that:
    Here’s something you probably won’t be seeing in the L.A. Times — a story with a picture that shows that Hezbo…

    Martini Republic (63f7a7)

  34. Martini Republic, I see you’re coming over here to get your morning dose of attention for your unhinged screed which you’ve been furiously typing since 4am. Must be yet another slow traffic day at your site, eh ?

    The fact is, friend, you’re splitting hairs….the point is that Hezbollah is fighting from among a civilian enclave.
    Perhaps, even more importantly, they’re not wearing uniforms which identify themselves as combatants—they’re wearing civilian clothes.

    What’s most revealing about your post is your complete LACK of anger at Hezbollah, and your frothing-at-the-mouth anger for…..Patterico !

    Oh yeah, and your hatred for Israel—that comes through loud and clear. We hear you, you want Israel wiped out.

    Angry alcoholics who blame the Jews are a dime a dozen this week, haven’t you heard ?

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  35. Thoughts On Qana…

    Cox & Forkum Political Cartoons

    This is pretty much self-explanatory, and damning to Hezbollah and its supporters, especially to those on this side of the pond that hate Israel, hate Jews and love all things Islamic. Why do we see so much of t…

    OKIE on the Lam (e2cef7)

  36. Interesting how the foamers equate published, factual stories with biased coverage. A quick search of the L.A.Times archives reveals many a horror story of innocent Israelis blown to bits by murderous Islamic terrorists. BIas? You talking points propagandists lose credibility with all except your rabid base.

    As for equating terrorists with bank robbers in a neighborhood is illogical at best, but really just moronic. If a bank robber hides up in my building, the cops can blow it up? I guess Darryl Gates is now cross-dressing as Darleen.

    And don’t start with the “Israel-hater” smears. That’s so Malkin.

    Andy (0b386d)

  37. Andy, you sound like an angry guy….angry at Jews, that is.

    Your anti-Semitism blinds you to reality, but as Patterico demonstrated with facts, the LA Times ‘above-the-fold’ photos have been exclusively Lebanese “civilians.”

    News coverage of Israeli victims is often buried on page A 16, and even then, they are always killed by “militants,” or “activists,” rather than terrorists.

    We hope that someday you’ll find that elusive inner peace.

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  38. I’m still waiting for Patterico’s ‘facts’.

    And it’s clear that when you don’t have any, the labels atart flying. I merely pointed out that the Times coverage was not as presented here.

    And for that, I am labeled anti-Semetic. Did I say anywhere that Israel was not justified?

    Now who’s angry?

    Andy (b5d0ef)

  39. Interesting how the foamers equate published, factual stories with biased coverage. A quick search of the L.A.Times archives reveals many a horror story of innocent Israelis blown to bits by murderous Islamic terrorists. BIas? You talking points propagandists lose credibility with all except your rabid base.

    What did they put on the front page, day in and day out?

    I gave you the front page every weekday for what? Something like seven days running.

    Patterico (50c3cd)

  40. Actually, Patterico presented the front page photos from the Times—try using your mouse to scroll up.

    Nobody has to ‘label’ you anti-Semitic—you’re doing quite well establishing that on your own.

    Thanks for playing.

    Desert Rat (d8da01)

  41. Will there be a posting of TODAY’s front page with the above-the-fold headline:

    “8 Israeli Citizens Killed By Rockets”?

    I doubt it. Because facts and reality don’t support your argument. Though some equally unhinged group of folks will now accuse the Times of a pro-Isreal bias.

    And I’m still trying to figure out how you get the anti-Semetic thing. But since you’ve had several opportunities to explain yourself, I doubt we’ll ever know.

    Andy (b5d0ef)


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