Antony Loewenstein

Borat – the first four minutes of his movie:

The just-released unauthorised biography of Sydney shock-jock Alan Jones, “Jonestown“, has caused the expected outrage. Conservatives are incensed that author Chris Masters has “outed” Jones – as if this wasn’t already known – and dared to examine the effect of his sexuality on his various personal dealings.

Of course, most of these critics haven’t actually read the book – after all, they can barely cobble together a weekly column, let alone read (or write) a 512-page book – so what does the book itself contain?

I’ve only started the work in the last days. Thus far, it makes for fascinating reading. The opening chapter, “Reporting on Alan”, contains the following passage:

I still think of the unofficial ‘swearing-in’ of prospective New South Wales Minister Michael Costa at Alan Jones’ home in November 2001 as dumbfounding. New South Wales Premier Bob Carr must have known it was stupid. Carr had scant respect for Jones, and Carr’s advisors had even less respect for the broadcaster’s advisors, also assembled.

Successive administrations in New South Wales had learned to treat policing as an unexploded bomb, so for Carr to surrender reason and bargain with a sensitive portfolio says a lot about the power of Alan Jones. The episode is even more remarkable when you consider the timing and Jones’ reputation. The preceding year Australian Broadcasting Authority findings had seriously challenged Jones’ honesty and integrity.

The episode raises important questions. What does it says about my own industry [journalism] that a man succeeds despite – or even because of – dishonesty? And what does it say about the rest of us who allow him so much power?

Investigative journalism is supposed to uncover material that a subject would rather keep hidden. Its aim is to provoke, challenge and upset. Many “commentators” in Australia seem to think that keeping the powerful happy is the way to ensure a successful career. They’re probably right (but they’re also not journalists.)

UPDATE: Of course, some people regard Jones as the Lord and Saviour.

Thoroughly tragic but predictable news from Africa:

More than $380bn has either been stolen or wasted by Nigerian governments since independence in 1960, the chief corruption fighter has said.

The country is regularly ranked as one of the most corrupt by graft watchdog Transparency International. 

Such news should be greeted with outrage by Nigerians. Or so one would think. Blogger Akin reflects:

Strangely, none of the Nigerian blogs I visit daily seemed to have picked up on this issue that Nigerian leaders have ‘stolen’ $380 billion cumulatively since independence with the worst atrocities in the 80s and 90s.

Basically, good leadership and stewardship of Nigeria’s resources and means should have ensured that any moneys spent were properly accounted for and whoever dipped into the treasury should have been able to declare in clear terms what for, why and what is to be achieved. 

As I travel around the country talking about My Israel Question, Middle East politics and Zionism, my latest stop last weekend was Adelaide. The Sunday Mail reports:

A heckler who ranted that the holocaust never happened failed to disrupt a lecture by journalist and author Antony Loewenstein in Adelaide yesterday.

Mr Loewenstein, in town to talk about his controversial book My Israel Question – which tackles Israel’s occupation of Palestine – was harangued by a man who said the gassing of Jews during World War II never happened.

The 50-strong audience [editor: for the record, the crowd was at least 120 people] at the Rendevous Allegra Hotel shouted the man down.

In his speech Mr Loewenstein told the audience that Israel would cease to exist unless it develop stronger ties to the Arab world.

He was also critical of the media in Australia for not providing an Arab voice.

It was a wonderful event – and this was after giving many interviews to South Australian media and lecturing at the University of Adelaide – despite the lone, ranting individual in the corner. I was humbled by the hundreds of individuals, from a diverse range of backgrounds, who wanted to hear and discuss the Middle East conflict.

It was a strange feeling, as an Australian Jew, for many members of the Lebanese, Muslim community in Adelaide (including some Druze) to say I gave them a voice in the current, toxic, media environment where discussing Arabs, Palestine and Israeli policies is almost taboo. I was very happy to receive the praise, but also wondered about the young, articulate Lebanese people sadly absent from our media landscape.

What strikes me as I travel around the nation is the ability of the Israel/Palestine issue to cross all religious, ethnic, environmental and political lines. This affects the young and old, devout and atheist, Australian and overseas-born. The status-quo no longer works and the political and media elite ignores this at its peril.

After nearly three months on the shelves, My Israel Question is now in its 3rd reprint and remains on many best-seller lists around the country. The latest edition comes with a booklet:

The 60-page booklet features the Sydney launch speech of David Marr and the Melbourne Writer’s Festival speeches of some of Australia’s finest thinkers (a selection here.)

Once again, it is clear that despite the best (and hopelessly muddled) attempts of Zionists to smear and discredit my book, the vast commercial, critical and personal response proves that very many people across religious and ethnic backgrounds want an open and free debate on the Israel/Palestine conflict.

David Brent releases his inner dancer in the classic series:

Anti-Semitism is a fact of life. After the recent bashing of Melbourne Orthodox Jew Menachem Vorchheimer, debate has re-surfaced regarding its prevalence in Australia. I have long argued, not unlike Norman Finkelstein, that whenever Israel faces increased international pressure or condemnation, the cry of “anti-Semitism” is heard from the Jewish community. Bashing Jews because they are Jewish is clearly anti-Semitic. Damning Israeli policies is usually not.

The Geelong Advertiser examined this issue last Saturday (page 1 is here page1.PDF and page 2 is here page2.PDF)

Whereas once the US Zionist lobby acted without sanction, bullying and intimidating any individual or group who didn’t subscribe to its fundamentalist worldview, the times they are a changin’.

US-sanctioned torture and “extraordinary rendition” wasn’t an invention of the Bush administration.

The practice goes back many years, especially during the Clinton era. The conservatives (such as Andrew Sullivan) who claim that Bush has soiled America’s reputation need to learn their history.

George Galloway talks at the recent Respect Conference:

Gideon Levy, Haaretz, October 22:

An empty car arrived at the Defense Ministry, and Amir Peretz stepped out of the car, to paraphrase Winston Churchill’s jibe at Clement Atlee. Even the harshest critics of Peretz have to acknowledge the important contribution he has made: He has demonstrated that the position of defense minister is completely superfluous. It is possible to go to war, withdraw forces, pulverize Gaza, deploy vis-a-vis Iran, and even control the West Bank without a defense minister. It suddenly becomes apparent that an answering machine at the defense minister’s office is sufficient. Fact: Peretz has faded away, yet all of these things occurred.

It is possible to be an outstanding citizen, a labor leader who emerged from a remote town, who throughout his life fought and paid the price for his dovish views – without a ranch, without military ranks, without rich friends and cigars – and then become a defense minister responsible for a policy that is even more brutal and militaristic than that of all the generals who preceded him. Fact: The initial months of Peretz’s tenure as defense minister have been among the most horrifying in the history of the conflict, with Israel routinely killing a shocking number of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, including many women and children. Not only has Uncle Peretz failed to soar, but he has become an identical twin of Shaul Mofaz, who was perhaps the most brutal of defense ministers. However, soon we will begin to long for Mofaz: At least with him we had no expectations that he would act wisely and humanely. 

(Meanwhile, Israel finally admits to using phosphorus shells during the recent Lebanon war.)

The Guardian’s award-winning war photographer spent nearly six weeks with the 101st Division of the US army in Iraq.

His video portrait shows an unwinnable occupation, stupid American soldiers and clueless cross-cultural relations.