Andrew Bolt is a columnist for Murdoch's Melbourne Herald Sun tabloid. Following his recent sycophantic "reports" from Iraq and Afghanistan - here and here - I was curious to discover who paid for his travels with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. I emailed him the following questions today:
"Dear Andrew,
"After reading about your recent travels to the Middle East with Foreign Minister Downer, I'd be interested to know who paid for your travels, accommodation, access etc? Did your employer pay for this or the Howard government? What kind of agreement was reached between the two parties?"
"Best wishes,
"Antony Loewenstein"
Within a few hours, I received this:
"I've publicly answered this question, and in a way that should satisfy you, but I did so in answer to people whose views are less repugnant than yours. Go fish [his "answer" is here.]
"Incidentally, how does if feel to be chosen for a university body as a token Jew, apparently - it seems to me - on the grounds that you're sufficiently anti-Israeli to give protective cover without harming the cause? [More information on this here and here.]
"Even a man with your views should have more pride than to accept. What do they call an Uncle Tom in Hebrew? May you one day awake in shame in the realisation of how you have been used.
"Grow up, Antony. Your excuse is, I know, that you are but young, but the words you write in ignorance today will be held against you in your more reflective maturity, should that day arrive. Give yourself less to repent."
I was tempted to simply enjoy Bolt's delicious words, but couldn't resist responding:
"Mr Bolt,
"Thanks for your kind response. Indeed, I feel very comfortable with my position on the board, my forthcoming book on the Middle East and a host of other projects. Perhaps it would be good to actually source your information from reliable people before making accusations. A foreign concept, as your recent trip to Iraq proved."
"Please continue your brave reporting. The masses are gagging for more.
"Best wishes.
"God bless.
"Antony Loewenstein"
UPDATE: Perhaps Bolt needs to remember his own words about civility:
From: Karen Hart
Comment: "I love how you and other morons say Hamas will destroy Israel. Israel has over 200 nuclear weapons Mr Bolt. That's enough to destroy the entire Middle East many times over which of course would make you very happy. Spare us your garbage, we all know the true terrorists are those that pardon their soldiers from emptying their machine guns into 9 year old girl corpses."
Andrew replies: "If you can find the quote in which I claim Hamas will destroy Israel, I shall apologise. If you can't I'm sure you won't. Abuse is always a sign of a person who has forgotten the conventionalities of civilised debate, using evidence."
"Dear Andrew,
"After reading about your recent travels to the Middle East with Foreign Minister Downer, I'd be interested to know who paid for your travels, accommodation, access etc? Did your employer pay for this or the Howard government? What kind of agreement was reached between the two parties?"
"Best wishes,
"Antony Loewenstein"
Within a few hours, I received this:
"I've publicly answered this question, and in a way that should satisfy you, but I did so in answer to people whose views are less repugnant than yours. Go fish [his "answer" is here.]
"Incidentally, how does if feel to be chosen for a university body as a token Jew, apparently - it seems to me - on the grounds that you're sufficiently anti-Israeli to give protective cover without harming the cause? [More information on this here and here.]
"Even a man with your views should have more pride than to accept. What do they call an Uncle Tom in Hebrew? May you one day awake in shame in the realisation of how you have been used.
"Grow up, Antony. Your excuse is, I know, that you are but young, but the words you write in ignorance today will be held against you in your more reflective maturity, should that day arrive. Give yourself less to repent."
I was tempted to simply enjoy Bolt's delicious words, but couldn't resist responding:
"Mr Bolt,
"Thanks for your kind response. Indeed, I feel very comfortable with my position on the board, my forthcoming book on the Middle East and a host of other projects. Perhaps it would be good to actually source your information from reliable people before making accusations. A foreign concept, as your recent trip to Iraq proved."
"Please continue your brave reporting. The masses are gagging for more.
"Best wishes.
"God bless.
"Antony Loewenstein"
UPDATE: Perhaps Bolt needs to remember his own words about civility:
From: Karen Hart
Comment: "I love how you and other morons say Hamas will destroy Israel. Israel has over 200 nuclear weapons Mr Bolt. That's enough to destroy the entire Middle East many times over which of course would make you very happy. Spare us your garbage, we all know the true terrorists are those that pardon their soldiers from emptying their machine guns into 9 year old girl corpses."
Andrew replies: "If you can find the quote in which I claim Hamas will destroy Israel, I shall apologise. If you can't I'm sure you won't. Abuse is always a sign of a person who has forgotten the conventionalities of civilised debate, using evidence."
6 Comments:
I find it incredibly interesting that you see yourself as having the right to subject Bolt to questioning and yet you haven't answered any of my questions about your Maquarie appointment. Both involve public monies.
Bolt on the one hand did answer you and did it very quickly. You on the other hand have left everyone hanging.
Maybe you should debate Bolt on the media or whatever you consider to be your area of expertise?
Send him an email, Antony. I’m sure he’d be willing to- would you?
I don't see why Bolt's answer to your question regarding funding is parenthesised in cynical rabbit ears.
He clearly stated in an answer to a query that his paper paid thousands of dollars for his trip, and the total cost to the Australian taxpayer was somewhere between $40-150. What more do you want? His expense account for the trip? Credit card statements? Jesus Christ.
Psydoc makes a sound point, too.
Edward, that is an interesting take on a very perplexing situation.
To restate: the director of the Macquarie section that appointed Ant (Dr Andrew Vincent) said that he did so because they were missing a Jew. This is the first part. If they were missing a Jew, why would they appoint someone in his capacity as a Jew who holds views at odds with almost all other Jews? Why didn't they choose someone representative of the majority? This is an uncomfortable position to place anyone in as it gives the impression that Ant's appointment was a facade of balance to their extreme views ie they can't be biased because they have accounted for the Jewish perspective.
The second part is that Vincent stated that Ant seemed to be qualified. This again begs the question as to Ant's qualifications. People can be qualified as a representative (which we have established that he is not), because they have first hand experience (Ant has admitted touring the area, but so have millions of others) and lastly because of some special expertise. At best Ant calls himself a journalist who has written on some idiosyncratic aspects of this matter. But I have been asking the genuine question of his qualifications that he refuses to answer. Has he done particular studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, done some unique sociological research? My understanding is that the only qualification he has is that he hates Israel. As such, being appointed to a publicly funded institution simply because you hate Israel compromises both Ant and the institution.
Ant expects others to answer his questions, but has consistently dodged this issue.
I do think the Uncle Tom comparison is valid. The whites hated Uncle Tom but he got acceptance of a kind by appeasing their bigotry. Jews who are embraced because of their Israel hatred lack the capacity to appreciate the fragility and implausibility of their acceptance. The goodness of fit lasts only as long as the hatred continues.
I don't really understand it. I truly hope that in return for getting an Israel hating Jew Ant is not merely getting a launch pad for his much delayed polemic on the Middle East.
By the way, how does one become bored in HK? There's so much to do.
Like some (not particularly clever) arsehole came up with the whole "Chimpy McHitlerburton" meme, and yapping running dogs latch on to the meme and apply the same genius "disassembling" to the names of other people they don't agree with.
Like Timbokchristianzio - oh, you get the message.
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