Politically Correct Language and Extreme Media Bias

Author Jack Englehard wrote this really good piece which accurately described the media bias in reporting Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. It highlights the BBC (which I've called the British Bias Corporation) and The New York Times for really amazing redefinition of terms. I was going to write a piece about this but Mr. Englehard has done such a brilliant job I'd rather link his.

I am dismayed, as usual, that this is only making the rounds on right wing sites. It seems that saying anything uncomplimentary about the Palestinians is now simply not acceptable with a large part of the political left. This has been a quandary for many normally leftist supporters of Israel. It is easy to understand why in the context of the one sided and often, as Mr. Englehard points out, ridiculous reporting that goes on. If someone actually believes the BBC not to be hugely biased and believes their reporting they'd have no choice but to see all Israelis as heartless monsters and all Palestinians as saints.

Here are some excepts from Mr. Englehard's piece:
The dictionary defines "looting" as "to rob, steal, pillage." But, in its first reports on Gaza, where Palestinian Arab mobs were, well, looting, the New York Times came up with a nifty twist to avoid the L-word. There was no looting going on, only "looking for usable materials".

Our friends in Print and Broadcasting are having difficulties putting a shine on this Palestinian Arab rampage that's been in progress ever since the Israelis departed. Obviously, we need a new dictionary, or the same dictionary that they're using over there at the Times, the BBC and wherever truth needs to be camouflaged.

CELEBRATION, for example, usually means "to express happiness," but it means something entirely different when describing the total takeover of Gaza by Palestinian Arabs. In this case it means rage and rioting, or, indeed, "looking for usable materials." When the new inhabitants of Gush Katif ransacked the greenhouses left behind by the Israelis, and, like termites, tore down everything that stood, they were celebrating.

HOLY PLACES used to refer to places of worship of all religions. Not so anymore. Holy Places refers only to mosques and other Muslim shrines. Churches, for example, are not Holy Places ever since Arab terrorists invaded the Church of the Nativity (April 2, 2002), used it as a latrine, and hardly anyone complained. They also ripped the place apart, no doubt "looking for usable materials." More recently, like yesterday, the new inhabitants of Total Gaza set fire to about 25 synagogues and this, indeed, is seen by the world as a step toward peace.

Torching synagogues can also be found under TO CELEBRATE.

[...]

PAIN. Only Muslim Arabs are entitled to pain. Here, for example, is the BBC's Orla Guerin reporting from Gaza: "Palestinians came streaming to the settlements that caused them so much pain! Israel stole 38-years from them; today, many were ready to take back anything they could." The Israelis who were evicted from their homes felt no pain. Is that clear? Also, thanks to Ms. Guerin and the BBC, we know that "Israel stole 38 years from them."

This sets a new standard for totally objective and thoroughly unbiased journalism.