(psst… Hey wingnut war-o-sphere, it's Iran war propaganda, get it?)
UPDATE V (5.20.06): Now we've got the New York Post publishing Amir Taheri's discredited article. What's next? A documentary on Fox? … Or why not a new name for it all? The “Fourth Reich.”
UPDATE IV (5.20.06): The wingnuts won't give up on this story, ever.
UPDATE III (5.20.06): Mush earlier this morning, from Juan Cole. So, wingnuts, quit sending me emails. You are wrong, face it. Now, will someone please email Rush?
UPDATE II: Iran's only Jewish MP says, “It's a lie.” (Thanks to reader Lee for providing the link.)
UPDATE I: They don't call it “hot air” for nothing.
When a story like this hits right-wing radio you have to go after it or else. Of course, right-wing radio listeners don't know the truth, especially those who listened to Rush this morning. But we do and here it is.
“This story is no longer available,” it reads. One of the pages where the story first screamed now gone. This story is now in its place. However, the story by Amir Taheri is still very much alive.
Via reader liberalcatnip, we now learn that the Canadian site has tried to shove its disgrace down the memory hole. It's obviously not been completely successful.
Rush Limbaugh picked the story up today, without caveats or calling anyone,
checking or doubting, so it's out there now and percolating. Remember, his show is from 12-3 p.m. eastern, so he could have done something about it, checked it out if he'd wanted to. Of course, he covered it with a big fat bwaaaaaaaahhhhhaaa, trying to scare the bejeezus out of everyone over Iran. Remember what I've been saying about right-wing radio: it's all about emotion. Rush wants to scare everyone about Iran, pushing Bush, making Democrats look, well, you know. Here's what went down on Rush today, at least what's available free online.
RUSH: (story) “The Iranian government, led by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has decided that badges will be required for non-Muslims in Iran. Human rights groups [amazingly], are raising alarms over this.” I don't recall human rights groups coming to the defense of Christians lately, but I guess they've got no choice here. Human rights groups, “raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the consultant's Jews and Christians to wear colored badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims. 'This is reminiscent of the Holocaust,' said Rabbi Marvin Heier, the dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. 'Iran is moving closer and closer to the ideology of the Nazis.'” Well, he's right, but he's not the first to say it. Let's go back to me, April 17th on this very program.
BEGIN ARCHIVE CLIP
RUSH ARCHIVE: Churchill had this problem back in the thirties with Hitler.
It's eerie how similar this is. Hitler was rearming; he was engaged in turning his population into a bunch of psychos. He was creating the Nazi Party, and Churchill is out there warning everybody, and nobody wanted to listen to him — and we got the era of Neville Chamberlain, and because nobody wanted to
listen to Churchill, nobody thought he knew what he was talking about — because nobody wanted war.“Ah, let him do what he wants to do. He's not going to attack us. It
doesn't matter,” and there's an eerie parallel here because while the Iranians are doing the same thing, a bunch of experts say, “Ah, it's
just bluster. They can't get a bomb for ten years. We don't need to do anything,” and we've got all these experts in this country saying (breathless), “If we do anything in Iran, it's going to look just like Iraq! It's going to be a mistake!”END ARCHIVE CLIP
RUSH: The parallels are eerie. Once again a demonstration of this program
keeping you on the cutting edge of societal evolution.
Cutting edge of societal evolution? More like, Keeping America
in fear, with one foot firmly planted in the past. Because let's face it, Rush and the Republicans are too weak to face what's actually happening today. They need this type of propaganda. Just read Rush's rant. It's unbelievable.
I also received a statement from the ADL on the issue while I was out this
afternoon.
While it is factual that the Iranian parliament is considering some kind of dress code, there is no evidence of any discussion or legislation concerning badges or the like for Jews and others. Clearly, dress codes imposed by a government on a people are one more example of the backwardness of the regime, and would be unhealthy for all groups, including minorities. How this could affect Jews, Christians and other minorities is not immediately known.
We will continue to monitor the situation in Iran as this story develops
and will make further comment when more information about the proposed Iranian
law comes to light.ADL Statement
on Unconfirmed Reports of Iranian 'Dress Code' (emphasis added)
I tried to contact Aaron Breitbart, but he was gone for the day. I will try again on Monday. I must say that I'm a little surprised that the Simon Wiesenthal Center did not have a more critical eye towards this story. We'll see what they have to say about the ADL statement on Monday.
Frankly, when I got word earlier that Rush was into it I knew I had to go after it. Millions of Americans listen to Rush, with hosts across this country parroting what he says. Now many are running around thinking we'd better bomb Iran, because badges reminiscent of Nazi Germany are back. Lies work, because emotion rules on right-wing radio. That's why we're here to push back when hacks like Rush and others get it wrong.
Thanks to everyone in the comments, liberalcatnip, cujo359 and everyone else, for keeping things going while I was out of my office. Now we just have to inform the wingnut wackos hell bent for war.
Retraction, Rush, clarification? Right. Rush's spin will just hang out there in the air like a stale, fowl odor left by a skunk. Pass the truth along.
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