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Society of Professional Journalists Advocates Whitewashing Islam
Little Green Footballs ^ | 3-5-08 | Charles Johnson

Posted on 03/05/2008 7:26:36 PM PST by atomic conspiracy

If you’ve wondered why so many mainstream media stories about Islamic issues omit important details and draw spurious morally equivalent conclusions, wonder no more. They’re doing it on purpose.

This was apparently released by the Society of Professional Journalists shortly after the 9/11 attacks: Guidelines for Countering Racial, Ethnic and Religious Profiling.

On Oct. 6 at its National Convention in Seattle, the Society of Professional Journalists passed a resolution urging members and fellow journalists to take steps against racial profiling in their coverage of the war on terrorism and to reaffirm their commitment to:

— Use language that is informative and not inflammatory;

— Portray Muslims, Arabs and Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans in the richness of their diverse experiences;

— Seek truth through a variety of voices and perspectives that help audiences understand the complexities of the events in Pennsylvania, New York City and Washington, D.C.

Guidelines

Visual images

— Seek out people from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds when photographing Americans mourning those lost in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

— Seek out people from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds when photographing rescue and other public service workers and military personnel.

— Do not represent Arab Americans and Muslims as monolithic groups. Avoid conveying the impression that all Arab Americans and Muslims wear traditional clothing.

— Use photos and features to demystify veils, turbans and other cultural articles and customs.

Stories

— Seek out and include Arabs and Arab Americans, Muslims, South Asians and men and women of Middle Eastern descent in all stories about the war, not just those about Arab and Muslim communities or racial profiling.

— Cover the victims of harassment, murder and other hate crimes as thoroughly as you cover the victims of overt terrorist attacks.

— Make an extra effort to include olive-complexioned and darker men and women, Sikhs, Muslims and devout religious people of all types in arts, business, society columns and all other news and feature coverage, not just stories about the crisis.

— Seek out experts on military strategies, public safety, diplomacy, economics and other pertinent topics who run the spectrum of race, class, gender and geography.

— When writing about terrorism, remember to include white supremacist, radical anti-abortionists and other groups with a history of such activity.

— Do not imply that kneeling on the floor praying, listening to Arabic music or reciting from the Quran are peculiar activities.

— When describing Islam, keep in mind there are large populations of Muslims around the world, including in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, India and the United States. Distinguish between various Muslim states; do not lump them together as in constructions such as “the fury of the Muslim world.”

— Avoid using word combinations such as “Islamic terrorist” or “Muslim extremist” that are misleading because they link whole religions to criminal activity. Be specific: Alternate choices, depending on context, include “Al Qaeda terrorists” or, to describe the broad range of groups involved in Islamic politics, “political Islamists.” Do not use religious characterizations as shorthand when geographic, political, socioeconomic or other distinctions might be more accurate.

— Avoid using terms such as “jihad” unless you are certain of their precise meaning and include the context when they are used in quotations. The basic meaning of “jihad” is to exert oneself for the good of Islam and to better oneself.

— Consult the Library of Congress guide for transliteration of Arabic names and Muslim or Arab words to the Roman alphabet. Use spellings preferred by the American Muslim Council, including “Muhammad,” “Quran,” and “Makkah,” not “Mecca.”

— Regularly seek out a variety of perspectives for your opinion pieces. Check your coverage against the five Maynard Institute for Journalism Education fault lines of race and ethnicity, class, geography, gender and generation.

— Ask men and women from within targeted communities to review your coverage and make suggestions.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: fifthcolumn; goebbels; islamoganda; journalism; treason; usefulidiots
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Comment #41 Removed by Moderator

To: All

Liberals valuing the rights of Islamic Terrorists over the rights of American citizens.....sick


42 posted on 03/05/2008 8:01:34 PM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (McCain/Hillary/Obama: All Liberals To Me)
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To: Max Friedman
Capish?

Si.

43 posted on 03/05/2008 8:03:12 PM PST by Inyo-Mono (If you don't want people to get your goat, don't tell them where it's tied.)
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Comment #44 Removed by Moderator

To: mamelukesabre

Agreed, I have some worse words, but as a woman and a Christian, the words would not be proper.


45 posted on 03/05/2008 8:04:01 PM PST by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: atomic conspiracy

Notice they didn’t say “When covering the 9/11 terrorists, seek out terrorists from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds.” Cause, uh....


46 posted on 03/05/2008 8:04:19 PM PST by A_perfect_lady
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To: Morgana

Darlin’ these colors don’t bleed! God Bless America! Every time I see that picture I clench my jaw and want to punch a Muslim. However, I was raised Catholic and would never do so. But it still makes my shackles stand up! (Southerners will understand that). Believe me, living in England and having to watch our Ancestral land kiss Islam’s Ass makes me wanna blow chunks on a daily basis!


47 posted on 03/05/2008 8:04:26 PM PST by wazoo1031
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To: Morgana

Sadly they have and are trying to impress this on to all of us.


48 posted on 03/05/2008 8:04:56 PM PST by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: lonestar67

But in this 21st century, with the power of websites such as this, the cat poops are going more and more to “hit the fan”.


49 posted on 03/05/2008 8:07:24 PM PST by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: atomic conspiracy
But why?

These nutcase journalists will be as ham stringed as anybody else under Sharia law and Islamic customs.

50 posted on 03/05/2008 8:08:17 PM PST by William Terrell (Individuals can exist without government but government can't exist without individuals.)
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To: atomic conspiracy

OUTSTANDING post! Hooray Charles Johnson! BUMP-TO-THE-TRUTH!


51 posted on 03/05/2008 8:09:12 PM PST by PGalt
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To: William Terrell

...Or they will get a nice friendly call from CAIR.


52 posted on 03/05/2008 8:09:26 PM PST by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: PGalt

God Bless Charles Johnson!


53 posted on 03/05/2008 8:10:06 PM PST by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: William Terrell
These nutcase journalists will be as ham stringed as anybody else under Sharia law and Islamic customs.

They obviously don't think it'll ever happen. ...blinded by their "cultural sensitivity" and political correctness. Of course once they realize what's happening their heads will already be on the chopping block.

54 posted on 03/05/2008 8:12:41 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: m1911

The cognitive dissonance is breathtaking. In saner days, this document would be proof of a conspiracy to lie and shill to the public, but our society has become so brainwashed that most people won’t even care. Too busy worrying about the latest gay stripper scandal on American Idol.


55 posted on 03/05/2008 8:14:51 PM PST by thecabal
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Comment #56 Removed by Moderator

To: atomic conspiracy
“Truth” is an artificial textual construct of the oppressive white male hegemony

Can I have my journalism degree now?

Piled Higher and Deeper my FRiend.

57 posted on 03/05/2008 8:17:22 PM PST by eldoradude (Think for yourself!)
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Comment #58 Removed by Moderator

To: atomic conspiracy

And they’ve had a great deal of success...

Just one underhanded example:

Hisb’Allah is now called Hezbollah by the press, instead. (It means “Party of Allah”) This way it is not as obviously a Muslim religious group to the average reader...


59 posted on 03/05/2008 8:25:19 PM PST by Tamzee (Thomas Jefferson - "Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.")
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To: Morgana
From Us Chicano Kids In South Los Angeles (to) Morgana
60 posted on 03/05/2008 8:27:19 PM PST by eldoradude (Think for yourself!)
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