Another reason to insist that "the media" do better

[nota bene]

Remember the possible “KKK sighting” at Oberlin last winter? Oberlin College cancels classes to address racial incidents - CNN.com

Michell Malkin (disclaimer: Yes, I know, but she is a graduate of Oberlin and remembers a similar ginned-up fear among Asian students in the ‘’90’s and how the perpetrator turned out to be Asian) provides an update: Two “progressive” students were “trolling” the campus.
Malkin takes various media outlets to task:

The Associated Press, The New York Times, MSNBC, Yahoo News and the Huffington Post were among the media outlets that trumpeted the story of supposed racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism run amok at my alma mater. Throughout the winter, anti-black and anti-gay graffiti, swastikas, and a shadowy figure in a "KKK hood" surfaced on the tiny campus outside Cleveland, Ohio. Black Entertainment Television News decried the hate outbreaks and "KKK sighting."

If Malkin’s account is correct, the two “pranksters” had already been caught and removed from campus before this all became news.

And Oberlin’s president seized an opportunity: “Krislov not only remained silent about the two pranksters, but he also stoked the fires of political correctness and helped fuel the false notion that real bigotry had pervaded the campus. The spring edition of the Oberlin College alumni magazine opened with a self-congratulatory essay from Krislov titled "A Fitting Response." How Oberlin Manufactured the Hate-Crime Hoax of the Year - Michelle Malkin - Page full

It does appear that many major news outlets were more than a little credulous and eager here. Irrespective of political lean, it’s time for journalists to take a refresher in Journo 101 with a focus on ethical responsibilities. In one week an international student has been gunned down at random, and an old vet has been beaten to death. Every media outlet needs to resolve to be scrupulous and fair in its investigations and reporting; the truth is ugly enough on its own.

 

[humbolt]

Remember the possible “KKK sighting” at Oberlin last winter? Oberlin College cancels classes to address racial incidents - CNN.com

Michell Malkin (disclaimer: Yes, I know, but she is a graduate of Oberlin and remembers a similar ginned-up fear among Asian students in the ‘’90’s and how the perpetrator turned out to be Asian) provides an update: Two “progressive” students were “trolling” the campus.
Malkin takes various media outlets to task:

The Associated Press, The New York Times, MSNBC, Yahoo News and the Huffington Post were among the media outlets that trumpeted the story of supposed racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism run amok at my alma mater. Throughout the winter, anti-black and anti-gay graffiti, swastikas, and a shadowy figure in a "KKK hood" surfaced on the tiny campus outside Cleveland, Ohio. Black Entertainment Television News decried the hate outbreaks and "KKK sighting."

If Malkin’s account is correct, the two “pranksters” had already been caught and removed from campus before this all became news.

And Oberlin’s president seized an opportunity: “Krislov not only remained silent about the two pranksters, but he also stoked the fires of political correctness and helped fuel the false notion that real bigotry had pervaded the campus. The spring edition of the Oberlin College alumni magazine opened with a self-congratulatory essay from Krislov titled "A Fitting Response." How Oberlin Manufactured the Hate-Crime Hoax of the Year - Michelle Malkin - Page full

It does appear that many major news outlets were more than a little credulous and eager here. Irrespective of political lean, it’s time for journalists to take a refresher in Journo 101 with a focus on ethical responsibilities. In one week an international student has been gunned down at random, and an old vet has been beaten to death. Every media outlet needs to resolve to be scrupulous and fair in its investigations and reporting; the truth is ugly enough on its own.

But the truth doesn't have an agenda of it's very own. The idea that we should suspend ethical judgement in order to advance a goal should make us wonder if that goal is worthy to start with.

 

[nota bene]

Here's SPJ's Code of Ethics, which begins with "Seek truth and report it" and this:

Preamble

Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.

Society of Professional Journalists: SPJ Code of Ethics

Key word is "comprehensive."

 

[tererun]

Remember the possible “KKK sighting” at Oberlin last winter? Oberlin College cancels classes to address racial incidents - CNN.com

Michell Malkin (disclaimer: Yes, I know, but she is a graduate of Oberlin and remembers a similar ginned-up fear among Asian students in the ‘’90’s and how the perpetrator turned out to be Asian) provides an update: Two “progressive” students were “trolling” the campus.
Malkin takes various media outlets to task:

The Associated Press, The New York Times, MSNBC, Yahoo News and the Huffington Post were among the media outlets that trumpeted the story of supposed racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism run amok at my alma mater. Throughout the winter, anti-black and anti-gay graffiti, swastikas, and a shadowy figure in a "KKK hood" surfaced on the tiny campus outside Cleveland, Ohio. Black Entertainment Television News decried the hate outbreaks and "KKK sighting."

If Malkin’s account is correct, the two “pranksters” had already been caught and removed from campus before this all became news.

And Oberlin’s president seized an opportunity: “Krislov not only remained silent about the two pranksters, but he also stoked the fires of political correctness and helped fuel the false notion that real bigotry had pervaded the campus. The spring edition of the Oberlin College alumni magazine opened with a self-congratulatory essay from Krislov titled "A Fitting Response." How Oberlin Manufactured the Hate-Crime Hoax of the Year - Michelle Malkin - Page full

It does appear that many major news outlets were more than a little credulous and eager here. Irrespective of political lean, it’s time for journalists to take a refresher in Journo 101 with a focus on ethical responsibilities. In one week an international student has been gunned down at random, and an old vet has been beaten to death. Every media outlet needs to resolve to be scrupulous and fair in its investigations and reporting; the truth is ugly enough on its own.

Your proof that they were wrong and the police were wrong comes from michelle malkin? The faux news loonie who is a huge racist and known to be more batcrap crazy than coulter? A woman who makes Rush look progressive and intelligent, and glenn beck look reasonable and sane? I know journalism is pretty much dead and all, but couldn't you find something a bit more reliable? Malkin has a job, and it is nopt reporting on news. It is ginning up the public with race baiting and blowing things way out of proportion or downright lying completely. That is her job, whe gets paid well for it, and she seems to have done well with you.

 

[nota bene]

Just so as not to give the appearance of being incapable of anything better than an ad hom attack, why don't you provide sourcing that indicates that Malkin's facts are incorrect?

 

[Gaugingcatenate]

Your proof that they were wrong and the police were wrong comes from michelle malkin? The faux news loonie who is a huge racist and known to be more batcrap crazy than coulter? A woman who makes Rush look progressive and intelligent, and glenn beck look reasonable and sane? I know journalism is pretty much dead and all, but couldn't you find something a bit more reliable? Malkin has a job, and it is nopt reporting on news. It is ginning up the public with race baiting and blowing things way out of proportion or downright lying completely. That is her job, whe gets paid well for it, and she seems to have done well with you.

Just so as not to give the appearance of being incapable of anything better than an ad hom attack, why don't you provide sourcing that indicates that Malkin's facts are incorrect?

Thank you, I was just going to ask the very same thing. It is rather ironic that miss tereun requests more reliability than Michelle Malkin... and yet provides not one iota of proof anywhere...just a rolling rant against the right which she obviously cannot actually prove to be wrong.

 

[nota bene]

I doubt that tererun even clicked on the link. The name was read, and the knee was jerked.

 

[tererun]

Just so as not to give the appearance of being incapable of anything better than an ad hom attack, why don't you provide sourcing that indicates that Malkin's facts are incorrect?

Why don't you provide a reliable source? I am not the one claiming the police are lying using a noted liar. If you wish to stand on her reputation go right ahead. Don't let me stop you, and do not get mad at me when you fall on your head.

 

[nota bene]

Why don't you provide a reliable source? I am not the one claiming the police are lying using a noted liar. If you wish to stand on her reputation go right ahead. Don't let me stop you, and do not get mad at me when you fall on your head.

No thanks--you issued the challenge, so prove Malkin wrong. Good luck with that. You could have already saved yourself from embarrassment if you'd spent, oh, 15 seconds Googling.

 

[tererun]

No thanks--you issued the challenge, so prove Malkin wrong. Good luck with that. You could have already saved yourself from embarrassment if you'd spent, oh, 15 seconds Googling.

I am quite fine with relying on her sullied name. I do not suffer an idiot's voice. If an idiot like her told me my leg was on fire i would not be bothered checking it until I felt pain, and I would likely never have to.

 

[nota bene]

So to summarize, (1) you never clicked on the OP link, relying instead on a knee-jerk, unthinking ad hom about someone whose politics you don’t like, (2) when challenged, you made false claims such as that (a) Malkin is a “noted liar” and that (b) I said the Oberlin police were lying, which I did not say, and (3) remain entirely unwilling to either check the facts for yourself or to at least acknowledge that perhaps you don’t have them.

Which you don’t, of course. I’m not sure which is more pathetic, the lack of intellectual curiosity or the dishonesty. As I’ve said, I’m not going to do your work for you.

I did mine before I posted the OP and am aware of what the Oberlin police records and other sources say. I could even provide you with the names of the progressive “pranksters” and links to one’s other political activities, but none of this was the point of the thread.

The real point, of course, is not Michelle Malkin or multiple other sources that have reported on this. I'll leave the killing-of-the-messengers to those who are unwilling to think for themselves.

Here is the real point: Oberlin College caught the perps red-handed distributing inflammatory anti-black, anti-semitic, and anti-Islamic materials BEFORE classes were cancelled, and then myriad opportunities were dishonestly seized by the Oberlin president and others to exploit what they KNEW was a false narrative that would believed by credulous fools.