NOTE to READER: This post got me placed in “NextDoor Jail” for six weeks (which is to say I was denied access to my NextDoor account). I am afraid we are becoming a fascist state.
It’s becoming a bad habit. Antisemitic protesters have been regularly showing up at Arcata City Council meetings, spreading their insidious lies and propaganda. The latest protest was especially vile.
First off, news anchor Erica Sutherland began the report by calling the Gaza/Israel war a “genocide,” (which I wrote to her about) but the real “star” of the show was this absolutely deranged woman who was screaming at the top of her lungs about how the city council should be ashamed of themselves for not supporting Palestine. Then she demanded that they divest from CalPers (which apparently has investments in Israeli businesses). She was very disruptive, disrespectful, and, well, at one time I worked as a mental health technician, and I think she’d be a good candidate for Thorazine.
I wrote to Erica Sutherland:
“You called the situation in Gaza “… the ongoing genocide.” Genocide requires the INTENTION to wipe out a people. If anything Israel has bent over backwards to keep civilian casualties to a minimum. Stop spreading Hamas propaganda! I’m a huge fan of yours. Please take my concerns seriously.”
“See my blog for the whole truth about Israel: https://el.urgod.org/everything-israel/”
Rather than address my concern, Erica excused herself:
“Hey you need to email Ross. I didn’t write the story. So I’m not informed about this situation. Email news@redwoodnews.tv”
So, I did:
“Last night (I watch the 11:00 stream on Zeam) Erica Sutherland started the story by calling Israel’s war with Hamas a “genocide.” Although it has become popular among some Progressives (I am one) to characterize the situation as a “genocide perpetrated by Israel,” this is not the case at all. What is being repeated is Hamas propaganda. As a journalist, you are charged with telling the truth, not spreading lies. I don’t want to get into a long diatribe about this, but please, take the time to read my blog on the subject: https://el.urgod.org. Scroll down the right-hand menu to “EVERYTHING ISRAEL.”
Ross, I admire your work and that of the whole Redwood News team. I’ve been watching since my wife and I moved to Eureka in 2004. Please endeavor to speak the truth about Israel, and stop just repeating what is popular.
Namaste!”
He wrote back almost immediately:
“Hello sir,
I’ll need to get our reporter who interviewed the protesters on this topic. Here is the story as we aired it.
We said this in the introduction to the story:
LAST NIGHT TWO DIFFERENT PROTESTS WERE HELD AT THE ARCATA CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND TENSIONS WERE HIGH. ONE GROUP WAS PROTESTING ARCATA’S ALLEGED INVESTMENTS IN ISRAEL AND DEMANDED
THE CITY DIVEST DUE TO THE ONGOING GENOCIDE IN GAZA.
What we SHOULD have said was;
” ….. Demanded the city divest due to what the protesters call
the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
There is a big difference in whether Redwood News is saying there is an ongoing genocide in Gaza and what the people in the context of the report believe is occurring in Gaza.
You are correct. I will discuss it with the reporter/producer.
Shame on us for not catching the way that intro was presented.
Thanks for sending us your concerns.
Ross Rowley
News Director – Redwood News
KIEM-NBC3 / KVIQ-CBS17
Eureka, CA
707-443-6666 / 707-496-0626
I feel really good about this. I feel vindicated. Here is my final response to Ross:
“Thank you for your due diligence.
Actually, it has happened more than once over the past year. Abraham Nevaro (sp?) repeated the same phrase a few months ago in another story concerning local protesters.
I didn’t say anything at the time. But with the rapid escalation of antisemitism in our country I think active correction of these errors is way overdue.
Again, than you for your attention to this matter.”
Ross Rowley’s email address in news@redwoodnews.tv
