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Israel's 'Media Watch' Explains the Media's 'Anti-Beck Crusade

"How dumb can the liberal-Left media be?"

Glenn Beck's Restoring Courage was not only monumental, it was beautiful. The multi-night event encouraged people to stand with courage for Israel. That message was simple. But despite a seemingly non-controversial message, why has the media scoffed at the idea? Eli Pollak and Yisrael Medad, two Israelis who run a Jewish watchdog organization called Media Watch, have a theory: "The media, it has been asserted, are the main ally of the liberal-progressive elite."

In an op-ed for the Jerusalem Post ("Media Comment: The anti-Beck crusade"), the two quote Thomas Sowell, describing how the leftist media uses tools such as "the denigration and even demonizing” of persons “who present evidence that can be used in contemporary culture wars.... Opponents must be shown to be not merely mistaken but morally lacking.”

And that was certainly on display during Beck's time in Israel.

For example, the pair points out how writer Ben Hartman of The Atlantic tried to demonize Beck for recent claims about the driving force behind some Jewish protests -- nevermind that the claims had a factual basis:

Ben Hartman, writing on the website of Atlantic Monthly, highlighted Beck’s analogy of the tent demonstrators in Tel Aviv to communists and his questioning whether or not they were being financed by some sort of international left-wing organization. Well, we know for sure that extreme socialists are involved.

A 12-year-old member of the “Socialist Struggle” grouplet became an overnight sensation due to his rhetorical skills and was even a star on the Channel 2 game show 1 vs. 100. It is a fact that the New Israel Fund – as far- Left as one can be in the Jewish world, except perhaps for J Street – actually did provide funds and training. In other words, Beck was basically correct – but who cares?

Further proof of the couple's point could be found in Hartman's attempted bashing of Monday night's first Restoring Courage event, they explained:

He lamented that Beck didn’t fulfill the script dictated by the left wing at his first event of the “Restoring Courage” week, which took place on Monday evening in Caesarea: “Far more tent revival than political rally, Sunday’s event lacked the sort of red meat anti- Obama or Muslim-baiting rhetoric that had made Beck so popular among the American Christian right.”

In other words, the event was very respectable, and poor Hartman could not really justify his rantings.

Michael Evans, who spoke at two Restoring Courage events, couldn't believe the media's reaction either.

"The liberal-leftist media in Israel has stooped to a new low in demonizing Glenn Beck before his 'Restoring Courage' rallies in Caesarea and Jerusalem," Evans writes in a separate Jerusalem Post piece. "Their false statements abounded, such as those concerning his relationship with his former Fox network."

He goes on to correct the narrative that Beck was "fired" from Fox. He wasn't. The former host and his former network still have plans to partner for specials. He also points out that it's wrong to assert Sen. Joe Lieberman did not attend due to "ideological differences." He instead had a family commitment.

"No Christian has ever risked more of his reputation and resources, or put his life on the line to the degree that Glenn Beck has for Israel. How dumb can the liberal-Left media be?" he asks.

Good question.

Rea all of Eli Pollak and Yisrael Medad's op-ed here. Evans's can be found here.

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