The thing about the MSM is that when it twists reality to suit its' own agenda, it does it very subtly. Take constant BBC reports of "Jose Padilla" the US terror suspect who was held as an enemy combatant for more than three years before being moved to civilian custody. The BBC constantly refer to "Mr Padilla". At no point do they refer to him by his preferred MUSLIM name of Abdullah Al-Muhajir? Why? Is it to be Cassius Clay instead of Muhammad Ali?
David,
When you say, "his preferred MUSLIM name of Abdullah Al-Muhajir," by whom is this name preferred?
Posted by: Alan McDonald | January 08, 2006 at 06:26 AM
Preferred by Abdullah!
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 11:57 AM
Isn't his legal name Jose Padilla?
Posted by: BB | January 08, 2006 at 12:28 PM
No. Now keep up.
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 12:41 PM
Spot on, David.
Posted by: ed | January 08, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Perhaps because that's the name that the legal proceedings are in?? I imagine it's to avoid confusion between the media reports and the case reporting.
Posted by: Fiona | January 08, 2006 at 02:12 PM
...and perhaps the MSM are doing their best to not mention the "M" word...you know..M is for Muslim, M is for...can you guess?
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 02:39 PM
Madradin Ruad ?
Posted by: Cunningham | January 08, 2006 at 04:08 PM
Cunningham,
It's a good guess, but you're wrong!
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 04:58 PM
Debbie Schussel?
Posted by: ed | January 08, 2006 at 05:20 PM
Debbie Schlussel?
Posted by: ed | January 08, 2006 at 05:21 PM
Whoops, didn't mean to repeat. Or to be facetious. Too much spare internet time this Sunday afternoon I guess.
Posted by: | January 08, 2006 at 05:27 PM
David,
I guess you'll have to skip the MSM and start paying more attention to Democracy Now!
Wednesday, June 12th, 2002:
The Latest U.S. "Terrorist" Suspect, Abdullah Al Muhajir, Is Designated An "Enemy Combatant" and Held Without Charges in a Legal Twilight Zone
Oh, and you'll have to stop listening to George W. Bush, too, because he calls him Jose Padilla.
Posted by: Alan McDonald | January 08, 2006 at 08:43 PM
Skipping the MSM is always a good idea! Do you think Bush wrote the document which refers to Jose Padilla AND what relevance has this to the fact that Al Muhajir refers to himself in his Muslim incarnation?
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 08:54 PM
No, but Bush signed it. Your post is about what the MSM calls him; they would listen to Bush before Al Muhajir.
Posted by: Alan McDonald | January 08, 2006 at 09:13 PM
So, if my post is about why the MSM refer to Al Muhajir as Padilla, can you please explain it? Referring to legal documents signed by the President does not address this. Try again...
Posted by: David Vance | January 08, 2006 at 09:38 PM
Actually that's interesting. I think it's a good example of where a)Bush plays down the war against Islam aspect, as he is wont to do, and b)he, but most likely his writer, misses a powerful trick and plays into the hands of his opponents in the media.
It would still be fair to say that Bush was being diplomatic, as his post demands that he is, but that the media has no place sticking to a politician's diplomatic line, and certainly shouldn't use a politician's terms as normative ones.
Thus DV is spot on, still.
Posted by: ed | January 09, 2006 at 12:47 AM