Guardian Held Hostage by Islamophobic Pressure Group
By Mary Rizzo • Oct 7th, 2008 at 12:40 • Category: Hasbara Deconstruction Site, Israel, Newswire, Opinions and Letters, Quotes, Religion, Resistance, War, Zionism
Soraya Terani, an Iranian mother who lives and works in London at a children’s charity, was commissioned to write 2 pieces to Comment Is Free (CIF) chronicling the routine horrors endured by Arab women whose lives have been ravaged by the US and Israeli invasion. But then, due to mounting pressure from Zionist “watchdogs” and blogs her pieces were dropped. Seemingly, Terani also posted comments on an open blog forum which, according to editor Matt Seaton, betrayed all the hallmarks of ‘anti-Semetic racist discourse’. However, on reading both her editorial contributions and comments one is struck by Terani’s sharp, eloquent political criticism that is totally devoid of any racial, ethnic or religious reference whatsoever.
Yet, Guardian Editor Seaton promptly banned Terani from CIF and sent an apologetic letter to notorious pro-war Zionist smear campaigner David Toube promising to improve the Guardian’s ‘moderation policy’ and work on curtailing anti-Semitism from leaking into the Guardian’s blog sphere.
As if it is not enough that a Guardian editor was sending an apologetic letter to Islamophobe Toube, a few days later editor Seaton took part in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle assuring its Jewish readers that he would not tolerate ‘racism’ or ‘hate speech’ in any form.
Let’s see what Editor Seaton regards as racism and hate speech. Here is one of Terani’s most offensive ‘anti-Semitic’ comments:
“The republicans have killed millions across the Middle East and elsewhere to please their darling Israelis, what more are you moaning about??? What else the American-Israeli gov’t in Washington can do to please their SUPER-masters in Tel Aviv??? More killings, may be this time they are after Persian bloods??? Who knows, these gods always get what they want…mindless, selfish, arrogant lot….”
Where is the anti-Semitism here? To admit that recent American wars were serving Israeli interests is nothing but telling the truth. It is hard to understand how blaming Washington for war crimes in the Middle East is an ‘anti-Jewish’ racist slur. Clearly, the issue of race or ethnicity was not mentioned once by the woman who, thanks to the Liberal media, has found her political voice temporarily struck dumb.
In another deleted comment she said, “ Star of David has been flying inside number 10 since Thatcher days”.
The Star of David has, unfortunately, been transformed into a Jewish nationalist symbol. It is depicted on Israel’s flag, airplanes and tanks. As long as Israel is dropping bombs on civilians from airplanes decorated with such a Star, any reference to the given symbol must be realized as a legitimate political criticism.
However, bearing in mind the fact that Labor’s number one fundraiser is no other than Lord “ Cashpoint” Levy who is described by the The Times as “a pillar of British Judaism and a leading international Zionist” the ties between the Star of David and Downing are clearly established.
Regrettably, due to Israel’s genocidal policies and practices, the Star of David is a reference to a murderous expansionist ideology. Yet, far more concerning is the fact that a ‘leading international Zionist’ star was financing the Labour Government at the time Britain was taken to an illegal war.
Terani, however, does not divulge the substantial list of Zionist Jews (Wolfowitz, Libby, Levy, proxy donation masters, etc.) working within the fabric of the US and British governments to champion the Israeli cause. Instead, she refers merely to ‘Republicans’, ‘Israelis’ and to a national symbol.
As people who fight for the Palestinian cause confronting Zionist racism on a daily basis, we are eager to learn from the Guardian and its editors what are Muslims and Palestinian supporters entitled to say? What is permissible? Can we not even criticize the Republican Party or the Zionist Genocidal policies? What is really left for us to do except lay down and allow ourselves to be killed by the tanks and cluster bombs decorated with the ‘Star of David’?
Mr Seaton has been contacted telephonically and by email on numerous occasions in the past two days. We would like him to justify his policy of censorship and labelling a person as one who writes material that is Anti-Semitic. We would like him to clearly analyse the writing that is quoted and to state how this can be used to smear a person and to silence her.
He has not yet gotten back to us.
Mary Rizzo is an art restorer, translator and writer living in Italy. Editor and co-founder of Palestine Think Tank, co-founder of Tlaxcala translations collective. Her personal blog is Peacepalestine.
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I was shocked to hear about this incident. I have always respect the Guardian and considered it the number one to offer unbiased platform for all views. But reading the blog and following the feedback and consequences I don’t know what to think any more.
But great newspapers sometimes have employees who are not immune against pressure groups, and this does not mean that the newspaper in general adopts his policy.
We have to wait and hear what the Guardian have to say, it would not be fair to judge the newspaper by an act of one of its employees, his response might not represent the newspaper’s policies after all.
The Guardian has rarely been any better (not a compliment). It’s always been a right-wing rag which allows a bit of limited soft-left comment to give it a different market niche. For a few years after 9/11 it actually got quite good - Tariq Ali said somewhere that was because of Seamus Milne’ s editorship of the comments pages. Whatever, under the current team of Rusbridge and Kettle, it’s the worst I’ve ever known it, possibly actually the most right-wing paper of the lot- totally Nu Labour.
It would be hopeless to look in the MSM for any conception of antisemitism that varied from ‘ gentiles repeating what the jews boast about’.
This is a strange article, Mary Rizzo. You said “her pieces were dropped”, but I can see them published on the website. What do you mean they were droppped. It does not make sense.
Also, you said “chronicling the routine horrors endured by Arab women whose lives have been ravaged by the US and Israeli invasion” But her articles are not about Arab women, but Iranians! I’m sure you know that Iranians aren’t Arabs. And Iran hasn’t been invaded by US or the Israel…
Well done, Guardian - at last you are cleaning up your act!
May it continue!
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