New York Times runs "despicable" "flagrantly anti-semitic" cartoon

[yankeedoodle]

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1122164007316725760

'Despicable' – New York Times apologizes for 'flagrantly anti-Semitic' cartoon
https://www.rt.com/usa/457732-new-york-times-antisemitic-cartoon/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome

The New York Times has apologized for printing a cartoon depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a guide dog leading an apparently blind Donald Trump. Israeli media and Twitter observers were outraged.

The cartoon, which ran in the international print edition of Thursday's paper featured Netanyahu depicted as a guide dog wearing a Star of David on his collar, leading President Trump, wearing the dark glasses and skullcap of a Jewish retiree.

The cartoon was printed on its own with no caption, and was not linked to any of the articles on the same page.

Twitter erupted in a wave of indignation. President Trump's son, Donald Jr.,  ripped the newspaper for "flagrant anti-Semitism," while the US' ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, called the cartoon "despicable."

The New York Times issued a hasty apology, admitting that "the image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it," an excuse that the Jerusalem Post called "pathetic."

The Nazis also depicted us as animals. They also put Stars of David on us. Antisemites have compared us to dogs, pigs and monkeys before," wrote the Jerusalem Post's Seth Frantzman. "But now we see how mainstream it has become to blame the Jews and Israel for the world's problems."

Of course, the argument that President Trump favors Israel has been made countless times before, in less and more graphic manner. Since taking office, Trump has enacted a number of pro-Israel policies, like moving the US' Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, and recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights region.

Some of Trump's opponents have been blasted for pointing out the extent of the influence Israel has on the American leadership. Freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was twice accused of anti-Semitism in the last two months, after she suggested the US' support for Israel was "all about the Benjamins," and accused Jewish Americans of harboring a 'dual loyalty' to Israel.

[yankeedoodle]

"Apology" is used 5 times, "apologies" 1 time, and "apologize" 2 times.  Looks like "apology" might be their new beat-us-over-the-head word, since "anti-semite" and "holocaust" might be losing their effectiveness.

The New York Times slammed for running anti-Semitic cartoon
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/28/media/ny-times-anti-semitic-cartoon/index.html

New York (CNN Business)The New York Times has been slammed for running an anti-Semitic cartoon depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a dog on a leash held by a blind President Donald Trump.

The cartoon appeared in the opinion section of the international print edition of the paper next to a column by Thomas Friedman about immigration. The Times has said it was wrong to run it, and conceded that it contained "anti-Semitic tropes."

But there was no apology in the editor's note that the Times said would run in the international print edition on Monday. It only said that it had been wrong to run it.

"The image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it. It was provided by The New York Times News Service and Syndicate, which has since deleted it," is the Times said in an editor's note that was tweeted out by the its opinion section's Twitter account.

That statement did not go nearly far enough according to many who reacted to it.

"Apology not accepted. How many New York Times editors looked at a cartoon that would not have looked out of place on a white supremacist website and thought it met the paper's editorial standards? What does this say about your processes or your decision makers? How are you fixing it?" tweeted the American Jewish Committee.

David Harris, the CEO of the AJC, also condemned the Times and its lack of a full apology.

"No, 'apology' isn't adequate. Rather, [the New York Times] owes readers an explanation of how this happened — after all, decision to print it involved more than one person — & what it says about the paper's view of Israel & Jews," he wrote in one tweet.

"While #Antisemitism is rising...synagogues are attacked & Jews killed...democratic #Israel is demonized...& Jewish institutions are forced to bolster security...The 'paper of record' pours oil on the fire," he said in another.

The cartoon and the lack of apology was also criticized by White House counselor Kellyanne Conway in an appearance on "State of the Union" on CNN on Sunday.

"This anti-Semitic cartoon which I'm not even going to describe the particulars because it is so odious and offensive, they didn't even apologize for it," she said. "Apologies usually include words like regret, sorry and apologize. They didn't do that." CNN host Jake Tapper agreed with her statement.

And the cartoon, and the Times response, also came under criticism on Reliable Sources on CNN on Sunday.

"We're talking about normalizing hate speech. The New York Times only aids in that when it publishes cartoons and gives this meek, silly little statement of 'regret' about it," said Elaina Plott, White House correspondent for The Atlantic, as she used her fingers to indicate quote marks around the word regret.

She said it's important for the Times to be far more transparent and to issue a detailed statement about how the mistake to run the cartoon was made.