CNN fires veteran editor for Mideast over Tweet

[MikeWB]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100708/ts_ ... ideast_cnn

They should fire that scumbag Blitzer instead!

CNN fires veteran editor for Mideast over Tweet


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Thu Jul 8, 4:09 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – CNN has fired a senior editor for Middle East news after she published a Twitter message that said she respected a Lebanese Shi'ite cleric branded a terrorist by the United States, U.S. and British media said on Thursday.
The Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, one of Shi'ite Islam's highest religious authorities and an early mentor of the militant group Hezbollah, died in Beirut on Sunday.
Octavia Nasr, a 20-year CNN veteran based in Atlanta, wrote on Twitter: "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah ... One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot," the New York Times reported.
Some supporters of Israel saw the Twitter posting almost immediately and took issue with it, the Times said. CNN officials were not immediately available to speak to Reuters.
The Times cited Parisa Khosravi, the senior vice president for CNN International Newsgathering, as saying in an internal memorandum that she "had a conversation" with Nasr and that "we have decided that she will be leaving the company."
Fadlallah was a supporter of Iran's Islamic Revolution and one of the first backers of the Iraqi Dawa Party of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. He was also the spiritual leader and mentor of Hezbollah when it was formed after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, though he later distanced himself from its ties with Iran.
CNN officials became aware of Nasr's message on Monday, and a spokesman said on Tuesday that it was an "error of judgment" on her part, the Times reported.
"CNN regrets any offence her Twitter message caused. It did not meet CNN's editorial standards. This is a serious matter and will be dealt with accordingly," the spokesman said, according to the Times.
The BBC report said that Nasr wrote in a blog post on Tuesday: "Reaction to my tweet was immediate, overwhelming and provides a good lesson on why 140 characters should not be used to comment on controversial or sensitive issues, especially those dealing with the Middle East."
(Writing by Eric Walsh; Editing by Nick Macfie)

[abduLMaria]

i haven't listened to enough conservative talk radio in my life to be sure, i just started about 2 years ago.  i listen when i drive.

still, the drumbeat about how terrible Muslims are has never been louder.  yesterday the subject was "what have the Muslims ever invented besides IED's ?"

normally, when crazy people sit at a bus stop and mumble to themselves, i don't mind much.

but when they are given the microphone at the biggest radio station in the SF Bay Area - it is attention getting.

now this thing on CNN - one simple Tweet - a person expressing admiration for a Muslim the Jews & Israel don't like - the journalist gets fired.  i suppose that does send a message to their co-workers, doesn't it ?

it reminds me of the paranoia right after 9-11 when Al-Arian, a professor in Florida with ties to the Palestinian community, was raked over the coals.

[maz]

Google "Octavia Nasr Anti-Defamation League" or "Octavia Nasr Simon Weisenthal Center" and you will see, yes Jews involved again.

[abduLMaria]

Google "Octavia Nasr Anti-Defamation League" or "Octavia Nasr Simon Weisenthal Center" and you will see, yes Jews involved again.

OK

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/5805_62.htm

"Shortly after learning of Octavia Nasr's tweet about the death of Hezbollah's spiritual advisor, Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah, the Anti-Defamation League contacted CNN to express concern about the clear impropriety of a journalist to express such a partisan viewpoint about a vocal supporter of terrorism.

We welcome CNN's statement recognizing that Nasr's tweet was "an error in judgment" and making clear that her action did not meet the network's editorial standards.   Nasr herself has recognized that the tweet was a mistake, saying "It's something I deeply regret" and that "I'm sorry because it conveyed that I supported Fadlallah's life's work.  That's not the case at all."

We commend CNN for taking this as a serious matter and dealing with it immediately.

July 7, 2010"


Wow, very recent.  I wonder if she's aware enough to realize that it's a compliment to be listed on the ADL website ?


is it true that the US pays the ADL's budget ?

anyway, i would like to email her to congratulate her on her great & impartial journalism, but all i could find is her Twitter page.  i don't like Twitter.
http://twitter.com/octavianasrcnn

actually, i don't like Twitter because the Tweets are so short.  144 characters ?  why don't we use a telegraph, Morse Code, or my old 28.8 modem ?

the only good application for Twitter i've seen is Jim Rickards Twitter account.  He's real good at explaining financial stuff, and he uses his Tweet account to post the URL's for some good financial articles.
http://twitter.com/jamesgrickards

[Ahmed]

Zionist Jews have lost the argument, so now there're going to try and do everything they can to retain whatever mediums of disinformation they have left.

If the journos at CNN had any integrity at all, they'd reiterate Octavia's sentiments online and support their colleague; the Mid-East bureau if no one else. And if they all lost their jobs, their co-workers should go on strike. IF they had any integrity that is, but since this is the Zionist Jew.S.A I doubt they even know what the word means.

[MikeWB]

More arguments: http://www.muzzlewatch.com/2010/07/08/2 ... blog-post/

[stoneskull]

i clipped the segment from michael collins piper's june 24 2010 show where he brings up a prime example of this censorship going back to 1969.. 40 years of it!

i made this for a mainstream forum where this topic came up..
interestingly a jewish poster there was angry about it..

i quote the jewish guy (note: this is just a music forum, not a political forum)

This is fucking ridiculous. A 20 year vet, fired for this?? Whenever I hear people talking about Jews controlling the media, I laugh. Well used to laugh. Between this and the way Israel's military activity has been covered by mainstream news in America, I'm starting to agree with those people.

and then a response by another forumer:

so how many hundred more examples do you need before you stop calling it coincidence, or racist, or worse, dismissing it before you even really look at it?

perfect opportunity to give this michael collins piper segment:

download from either:

http://www.wikiupload.com/nc4DEe0q
http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/210740_ ... 062410.mp3

[stoneskull]

it took me a while (three years for that jewish guy) to get people on that forum to take me seriously.

nowadays instead of getting flamed by fifty guys at once every time i would post,
i hardly get three.. usually none.. and many times support.

go mainstream!