On Monday, during their coverage of the Trayvon Martin case, a local Fox news station reported "there's another civil rights group in town, the National Socialist Movement." Though it should be obvious by group's name: the National Socialist Movement, somehow local Fox 35 made the error that this racist white supremacy crew was a "white rights organization" or a "civil rights group." Fox's Jennifer Bisram who contributed to the report also added: "at least ten Florida-based members armed and dressed in all black will patrol the city of Sanford every day, everywhere."
The piece runs a little over two minutes, and even includes an interview with Jeff Schoep, a member of the racist Aryan organization, who said "blacks have Al Sharpton and the whites have the National Socialist Movement." Schoep's remarks did not raise any red flags from the Fox team, who gave him a platform to explain that "the white community...out of concern for their safety," brought in his group.
After noticing their mistake, yesterday Fox posted an update from their editors: "We intended to refer to them as a 'self-proclaimed' civil rights group.
Mondoweiss – The War of Ideas in the Middle East
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Filler.
well, if you are going to challenge Fox, rightfully, for this racist folly, i have another one for you. Allison Weir of “If Americans Knew” did 3, count ‘em THREE interviews with a nutcase called Clayton Douglas, who is an avowed white supremacist. Allison seems to like the guy, and vice-versa (at one point Clayton asks about her relationship status). Even when Clayton played a recording of his buddy David Duke she was not offended, but rather intrigued by Duke’s statement (it was ludicrous). She also seemed to agree that they were all unjustly persecuted by zionists, rather than deservedly being marginalized for racist views.
Maybe this goes to close to home for Mondoweiss, but i think it is about time we hold so-called supporters of Palestinian rights need to be held accountable also, we don’t have to stop at Fox News.
I don’t know anything about Douglas, but I suppose Allison doesn’t pass the smell test, just like Ron Paul didn’t pass your smell test. In sum, Weir is doing more than stopaipac to get the message out. No doubt Atzmon is on your list.
Chu, David Duke is also “on my list” of people i think supporters of Palestinian rights should have nothing to do with. You forgot him. so sue me.
stopaipac, you’re killing me, man.
My point is that people in the world may get to understand the Israeli occupation from leaders that you don’t always agree with. I’m not talking about white supremacists, but people like Alison Weir and Ron Paul make a certain set of people understand the Palestinian-Israel problem. Scott McConnell who would write for this site said years ago said that it would take people from the right and left inside the US to come to terms to resolve this issue, and I believe that is still the case. We can’t change Israel, it’s not our country.
If she finds the musings of David Duke (you know, the KKK Grand Wizard) to be through provoking and intriguing, well, she’s no ally I would ever want in a human rights struggle. You may feel differently.
How did a post about american white supremacists become a referendum on anti-jewish sentiment in the palestinian solidarity movement?
She spells it ‘Alison’ on her If Americans site. I agree that we have to be accountable for the company we keep, though everyone has to decide how far it is legitimate to seek to persuade people of very different background and belief. I read the transcript. I didn’t think that A, on that record, seems intrigued by Duke’s recorded harangue about menorahs in the White House, I think she clearly expresses scepticism about it. She does say something about Jewish influence on the American decision for war in 1917. This is a subject that calls for the utmost care in the use of words and I think she is trying to exercise that care. Whether she is careful enough when addressing that sort of (I think far-right) audience may be hard to say. But my smell test doesn’t come up with any whiff of anti-Semitism.
Mind you, failing to exercise enough care in the use of words is less bad, a lot less bad, than failing to draw attention to injustice and suffering when you have encountered them.
thoughtful response, MHughes. Still, Alison says she has to “check this out” and do some research on it (dukes claim that Menorahs *replaced* any Christian symbols. Is she the only american that is not aware of the annual Christmas tree at the White House? link to whitehouse.gov (I’m pretty sure that Duke knows damn well about this, but he just wants to spread hate). and what of even for a moment suggesting that Duke has any credibility whatsoever, given his history of racism? why was she not offended when she learned the recording was of David Duke?
back to the original post here… she should know, like all americans, that america has to deal with its racist legacy, and root out its racism, that still results in the death of innocents. If Alison Weir only knew.
Meanwhile, Weir and friends at the “Council for the National Interest” joined with the John Birch Society (which has as its top legislative priority the disenfranchisement of millions of people of color in the US) to promote their organization. Has she a clue how linking up with such organizations is so detrimental to the cause of a promoting international human rights? They may very well not support Israel, but they sure as hell do not support human rights.
In reply to Dan – you make me think that I shouldn’t have risen to the bait in the way I did. Alison Deger points out that in calling the NS movement a civil rights organisation the Foxists, whom we’re generally against, showed ignorance and poor judgement. The reply about the other Alison and her Clayton Douglas interview would be relevant only if it showed comparable faults on our part, which it doesn’t begin to do. It’s not as if we’ve used any kind words of any sort about Douglas.
Douglas may not be a nice person. But we shouldn’t permit the discussion to be organised so that it can’t begin until everyone concerned has proved to the satisfaction of everyone else, which is impossible, that they aren’t anti-Semitic personally or even (as here) by tenuous association.
I’m visiting your part of the world shortly, Dan, and am looking forward to the authentic Boston eating and drinking experience.
Thanks for kind words, Stop, and for additional information. We Brits find it difficult to keep up with all these Councils, Foundations and Societies that vie for influence in Washington.
Right on the money MHughes with your post
I’m visiting your part of the world shortly, Dan, and am looking forward to the authentic Boston eating and drinking experience.
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NICE!! Eating and drinking are what we do best. You are more than welcome to get my contact info from Phil, if you need a tour guide, thought Id throw it out there…….
Meanwhile, Weir and friends at the “Council for the National Interest” joined with the John Birch Society (which has as its top legislative priority the disenfranchisement of millions of people of color in the US) to promote their organization.
I don’t want to get deep in the weeds on this subject or defend the often kooky Birchers, but this is just false. A Bircher lady was Pat Buchanan’s Reform Party veep choice in 2000. Ezola Foster. Look her up in google images.
MHughes, I think you can do a whole lot better than relying on “stopaipac” for any information. How odd that someone with such a self-styled moniker seems to get more worked up about an organisation that is against the US funding Israel than against AIPAC itself. I’m not sure any significant organisation would pass his purity tests. Indeed he seems a bit sniffy about Mondoweiss itself.
Annie may have vouched for this guy in the past but something does not add up about him. He sure doesn’t pass my smell test as an anti-Zionist.
libra, we are talking about defending aryan organizations as “civil rights groups” which this Fox station did… and Ms. Weir seems to be doing (or at least she certainly says nothing to contradict Clayton’s view that he is a mere victim of unfair attacks. )
my actions have nothing to do with it, whatever you might imagine them to be. attacking me is like the Orlando Fox station responding to this post with a mere attack on Allison Deger, and not talking about the issue… promoting this racist insanity.
Still, i’d be willing to wager that i’ve supported, participated in, even initiated more protests of aipac in the last 10 years than you have in your entire life. But i have also supported civil rights and human rights and the right to economic justice and union rights. for the rest of my life i will continue to do so.
There is a certain percentage of “Palestinian rights activists” that only care about Palestinians because they hate Jews even more. There is another certain percentage that are willing to work with white supremacists, Muslim terrorists, etc. because they believe the biggest enemy in the world is Israel and they’re willing to overlook everything else until Israel is destroyed.
Most Palestinian rights supporters, however, seem to be fine people concerned about the well-being of the Palestinian people who lawfully present their case to the public.
What percentage? What an idiotic comment.
What percentage?
why, dan, you didn’t read westerny skies comment carefully, did you? a certain percentage of palestinian activists a. club baby seals b. secretly admire hitler c. possess child porn d. blah, blah, blah. how can you deny this to be true?
“What percentage?”
Where’s Klaus when you need him? If any retired statistician alive could quantify it, he can. Even if “just for the hell of it”.
nuthin like zionist organizations who cozy up to the hagee radical extremist types. imagine aliening yourself with people who believe if you don’t convert you’ll burn in hell for eternity.
WHat really gives me the giggles, Annie, is the thought of “Gazacalling” searching for allies in the fight for Palestinian rights among the rabid “pro-life” forces. He better pack a lunch.
There is a certain percentage of Palestinian rights activists that only care about Palestinians because they hate Jews even more.
And I thought I was cynical. Can you provide some examples of these undercover agents that have infiltrated these pro Palestinian movements.
Nice move stopaipac. This begins with a story about Fox News promoting white supremacists and you divert it into a discussion about some nut job I had never heard from before. Please do note Fox News is much, much bigger and more influential than Alison (who?).
RE: “Allison Weir of ‘If Americans Knew’ did 3, count ‘em THREE interviews with a nutcase called Clayton Douglas, who is an avowed white supremacist.” ~ stopaipac
MY REPLY: Where are you getting your information from, ‘If Americans Knew Allison Weir’ or Masada 2000 ? ? ?
Ms Weir appeared on Clayton Douglas’ program. She did not give him any exposure.
Some progressives are outraged by other progressives appearing on Fox (Faux) News. Other progressives (David Sirota, for instance) believe that progressives are foolish to pass up an opportunity to appear on Fox (Faux) News.
Nonetheless, based upon Clayton Douglas’ website, I do not believe Ms. Weir should have appeared on Clayton Douglas’ program. It may be that since the corporate/mainstream media pretty much blacklists pro-Palestinian advocates, she felt (wrongly, in my opinion) that she should not pass up the opportunity to appear on his program (much like all of the Jewish groups that are in bed with the likes of “Pastor” John Hagee.*)
* SEE: Houston Jewish Federation, Jewish Agency Fund Im Tirzu’s Assault on Israeli Universities ~ by Richard Silverstein, Tikun Olam, 3/17/10
ENTIRE ARTICLE – link to richardsilverstein.com
ALSO SEE: Pastor Hagee: The Antichrist Is Gay, “Partially Jewish, As Was Adolph Hitler”, by Max Blumenthal, Huffington Post, 6/02/08
LINK – link to huffingtonpost.com
Dickerson, Clayton’s website has the links to the programs that Alison appeared in, as well as a few other sites that are anti-Palestinian. but this is still alison’s actions and words. By appearing on his program, of course she gave him some additional credibility. (though not much, as she has little herself, but she did her best). and it wasn’t going on a program that actually has listeners that number in more than a few hundred as a Fox station would have. She appeared at times to be saying that they both are marginalized because of their simple disagreement with Israeli policies, and as you can see by Clayton’s rather insane website, this man is marginalized because he is an extreme racist. But not once did she even disagree in the slightest with Douglas. Not a whisper of concern when she learned that the recording was of David Duke. (not defending David Sirota’s appearance on Fox, but i think if he were presented with a recording of David Duke on Fox as something worthy of inquiry he would protest strongly, instead of just going “oh”). Instead, she starts implying Jews were behind WWI (and WWII). and the whole of it implies “it’s us (clayton and alison) against them”.
Here’s a simple thing Alison can do. Tell us she rejects the white supremacist views of Clayton Douglas. and the John Birch Society. That would be a start.
In regard to Hagee & Co. and the acceptance he gets from zionists, you are certainly right to call that out, as i have many times. Nothing can more strategically stupid and plain immoral on their part than to link up with this fool. We should call out any activist for making a similar mistake in linking with any racist or racist organization. We are not that desperate. The cause of human rights for all is winning.
Since I responded to your first post I went back a looked at Alison’s record. You are right, she is a total fool without an ounce of political sense. However, we do not need to use up band width talking about her for the simple reason she has nothing to do with us. She is one tiny, and as far as I can tell, completely discredited “antiZionist” voice. It is not worth our time to amplify her message since her message is going nowhere on her own.
Anti-semites really are often attracted to the pro-Palestinian movement. I don’t count Alison Weir as a true anti-semite, at least, not consciously. I’ll bet she would disavow any anti-semitic or racist view of the John Birch society. The closest she might come is to espousing their views is to say that sometimes those racists dig up interesting facts and should be listened to. I sometimes wonder if its because she’s white and has blond hair, and on top of it more on the flag-waving American right politically than most advocates of human rights, she fits the stereotype of an anti-semite? However, she is pretty careful about using the best evidence available to back any of her claims. So no, I don’t think she’s a racist and certainly not racial supremacist, at least not consciously, I just think she’s too blinded by her anti-Israel stance & the usual charge that Israel is covering up the truth to have any sense of smell or judgment herself about the real racists like Clayton & Co.
Lyn I was not calling alison Weir an antisemite. I was saying that she was a fool to go on the air with that Clayton character. She has no political common sense.
I tend to agree. However, I’m not convinced that the US flag-waving, “America first” part of her message shows no political common sense, it shows a different sense that may in fact be much more attractive to the broader American public than the message by the more moral and dedicated leftist support for Palestinian equal rights, which often has a more flag-burning aspect.
lyn117, Clayton is not so much a flag waver (as his site hints at making war on the federal government) as he is a supporter of cross burners, as his support for David Duke exemplifies. To suppose he is a “conservative” is not at all accurate.
I do think Alison Weir’s actions are mostly based, as ToivoS suggested, as lacking any political common sense, more than malice. But still, it would be nice to see Weir stand up for racial justice, just to clear things up for us. Would it be so difficult for her to say that she rejects the politics of Clayton Douglas? or would that offend her core constituency?
wow, the day msm starts promoting aryan organizations. i didn’t even think fox was that bad.
Annie, Watching the clip I had the feeling the newscaster was just ignorant. White power groups purposefully use civil rights style rhetoric to try to get a footing in the culture, and this woman just took it at face value. And why would any average American college grad know that National Socialist=Nazi? Would Sarah Palin? My bet it’s dumb mistake, more than sinister Fox–not that they aren’t sinister.
it didn’t occur to me it was a mistake of the newscaster (jennifer bisram) scott. but one might think whoever posted that sign underneath “nat’l socialist movement’…do you think those are college kids clearing this stuff for fox news? fox news is not a college operation. don’t they have teams of people checking this stuff? what about a major news org like wapo or nyt? are they run like college papers? whether it is in print or tv, one would think they would check a rep of an organization and an organization itself before carrying an interview.
Well,shouldn’t any college grad know recent history about Hitler and his political party?What do they teach them,American Idol?
It’s sort of like Obomba being called a commie,when he is a neolibcon capitalist nightmare,but it is all over the internet.
An intellectual vacuum created by propagandists who have dumbed America down to the level of Freedonia.
“An intellectual vacuum created by propagandists who have dumbed America down to the level of Freedonia.”
This means war! And remember, we’re fighting for this woman’s honor, which is more than she ever did!
Thanks for the Hagee link, dickerson. Hagee’s flock gobbles up the slop just as fast as he ladles it out. The influence Hagee and other Evangelical leaders have over millions of Americans should be of more concern to people like Lieberman. Hagee’s interpretation of scripture could change with one bad dream or a fit of indigestion: “God spoke to me. He said, ‘Israel must be destroyed! Isreal must be destroyed! Israel must be destroyed!’” His flock would join in the chant without blinking.
so is the ADL also self-proclaimed?
link to mondoweiss.net