Friday
Oct232009
Iran: Enduring America Leads, The New York Times Follows
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 9:41
Iran: Karroubi Responds to Government Threats “Bring. It. On.”
The Latest from Iran (23 October): A Government Counter-Attack?
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
So this morning we open up The New York Times, and Michael Slackman is proclaiming, "A Lone Cleric is Loudly Defying Iran's Leaders". Now that headline on Mehdi Karroubi raises one eyebrow (more on that later), but it's this dramatic line that raises the second eyebrow:
"[Karroubi] has been threatened with arrest and, indirectly, the death penalty. His response: bring it on."
Hmm. Bring It On. Where have we read that before? Ahh, yes, this 15 October headline on a website called Enduring America: "Karroubi Responds to Government Threats 'Bring. It. On.'"
Now, Michael, we think you've done a great job covering Iran from Cairo and now from Riyadh, but give a quick mention to your scriptwriter, OK?
And while you're doing that, you might to reconsider your own headline of Karroubi as "Lone Cleric". I know, it resonates with Americans like us who grew up with the Lone Ranger, but you just wrote out dozens of other religious figures who even this week have continued their criticisms of the Ahmadinejad Government, their pressures for reforms, and their talks with "secular" politicians.
So, Michael, be careful with that Dramatic Reductionism, propped up by our one-liners.
Otherwise, we might have to Bring. It. On.
The Latest from Iran (23 October): A Government Counter-Attack?
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
So this morning we open up The New York Times, and Michael Slackman is proclaiming, "A Lone Cleric is Loudly Defying Iran's Leaders". Now that headline on Mehdi Karroubi raises one eyebrow (more on that later), but it's this dramatic line that raises the second eyebrow:"[Karroubi] has been threatened with arrest and, indirectly, the death penalty. His response: bring it on."
Hmm. Bring It On. Where have we read that before? Ahh, yes, this 15 October headline on a website called Enduring America: "Karroubi Responds to Government Threats 'Bring. It. On.'"
Now, Michael, we think you've done a great job covering Iran from Cairo and now from Riyadh, but give a quick mention to your scriptwriter, OK?
And while you're doing that, you might to reconsider your own headline of Karroubi as "Lone Cleric". I know, it resonates with Americans like us who grew up with the Lone Ranger, but you just wrote out dozens of other religious figures who even this week have continued their criticisms of the Ahmadinejad Government, their pressures for reforms, and their talks with "secular" politicians.
So, Michael, be careful with that Dramatic Reductionism, propped up by our one-liners.
Otherwise, we might have to Bring. It. On.
Reader Comments (8)
Scott,
Your Iran analysis here at EA is very interesting and you usually get analysis up before anyone else in the blogosphere.
And as the NYT's lead Iran researcher, having done the research for Slackmans' Karroubi piece yesterday, I can assure you that your Oct. 15 piece had nothing to do with the title or the content.
We decided on the title/theme of this Karroubi piece almost a week ago, right after the case against Karroubi was opened.
Keep up your good work here at EA.
Artin
Artin,
Thank you for taking the piece in good humour, which is how we intended it. The more serious point, which I hope we can discuss, is the framing of Karroubi as "lone" when in fact there is a wide front of opposition to the Ahmadinejad Government.
Please give my best wishes to the New York Times team and especially Michael Slackman. I value highly his reporting, backed by your research.
S.
Artin,
And in light of your revelation, I think we should retitle the piece "Enduring America/New York Times: Great Minds Think Alike".
S.
Artin Afkhami,
We were most pleased that the New York Times has always served as useful idiots for us. We are most disturbed that you would adopt the rantings of Enduring America. But it is most useful that you would destroy your credibility by denying your use of references to Enduring America. We condemn "A Lone Cleric Is Loudly Defying Iran's Leaders," New York Times, October 23, 2009, p.A1, A14. We will add your publication to the forbidden list:
http://wp.me/snCIw-bn" rel="nofollow">Lies of the West . You decided on the theme of the Karoubi piece a week ago? You lie as well as we do. Congratulations. But you are our enemy now and you put too many r's in Karoubi. Your transliterations are stubborn. These and other trivia mark you as irrelevant and ineffective, which is why, along with all of the Western economy, you are going bankrupt. No one will buy your newspaper. You are defunct. We prevail. We have added the New York Times to the list of http://wp.me/snCIw-bn" rel="nofollow">forbidden publications
[...] See the original post: Iran: Enduring America Leads, The New York Times Follows … [...]
Dear Enduring America,
You have great content, but the aesthetics of your website are awful. Your name, logo and layout make this site appear of much worse quality than it is.
Have you considered making changes or hiring a web designer?
-A friend of the site
Friend,
By coincidence, we are in the process of discussing changes to the layout of the site. We hope to have big news very soon.
S.
Must agree on "Friend"'s comment about layout. Great content, not so easy to find what you're looking for, but slight improvements these days.
Keep up your great work and: Thank you!