CNN gives the mike to Iran’s foreign minister, again
I’ve seen reporter Christiane Amanpour often. She always has the sharpest questions but when the interviewee talks, she seldom has any follow-up.
In this case, Iran’s FM gets the unhindered opportunity to broadcast his fairytales. Unopposed total fabrication for the American public. Terrible!
On top of this, we may assume that the average US viewer does not know that in Arab culture, image building has a much higher priority than reporting dry technical facts. It’s a Western viewpoint to call that lying. In Arab culture, it’s easily a defense of one’s image and dignity, not trickery.
However, this diplomat doesn’t do any of that. He’s just lying. Just as we got used to by Trump: several lies per every sentence.
But also a quality publication like the Times of Israel sees value in these ironic words spoken in total insincerity as if they could have any meaning.
If you escaped a violent home, you know that you can’t appease ruthless abusers. You can only corner them when they have no escape route.
Biden therefore must help create an international coalition swiftly that puts the economic squeeze on the Iranian Junta before it is too late.
***
Here the same senior CNN reporter talks with the same FM, three years ago, and in the beginning, she does contradict him. But soon, she lets him talk for minutes on end. (You can tell he’s lying full speed when he changes his tone to “sweet fatherly,” like at 10:55.) He portrays his regime as the only serious fighter of ISIS. In fact, Iran is the world’s number one supporter of terrorism, but she lets him talk freely as the defender of civility.
He gets to speak freely, comes across as a decent man and not a terrorist leader, and so, they gladly use this interviewer.
***
Seven years ago, she interviewed the Iranian president himself. His smile! You can tell he’s not someone bent on genocide or cruelty. Just kiddin’.
Instead of the third degree, she conducts a therapist interview. Talk about what you feel and think. I’ll listen, I’m interested. (I’m a fool and so safe.)
He says, stone-faced: “The entire world must recognize that Iran does not and will never seek nuclear weapons.” She says: “Many people don’t believe that, sir, so what can you do to inspire confidence?” She should have said: “That’s a bold-faced lie because, for peaceful use of nuclear energy, you don’t need the degree of uranium enrichment you seek.” Not saying that is dishonest and collusion with the big Iranian lie. He says: “Why is Iran singled out for mistrust? What is Iran different from other countries?” She doesn’t answer! She doesn’t say: You threaten to wipe Israel off the map. You infiltrate a dozen regional countries with terrorists. I skipped the rest. She gives him the last word to say: “I bring peace and friendship from the Iranian People to the American People.” Too ridiculous for comment as words by a dictator who can’t even talk for the Iranians.
With the Al Jazeera option, Western media have no single good reason to cozy up to these antisemites/terrorists and to grant them respectability.
***
Instead of flooding the viewers with a whole stack of lies, they are much better served by some clear, truthful sentences on what is going on.
***
Trump would never bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities to stop them from reaching nuclear capability. He didn’t even give Israel the bomb he had to destroy the mountains that hold their offensive weaponry. But he would have let Israel do the dirty work.
Biden is not like that. He doesn’t have an antisemitic fiber in his body. Just like Andrew Yang. So, we may rest assured that the US under Biden will not let Israel go it alone. I’d advise him to wear a bullet-proof vest. The US tends to do away with Catholic presidents a bit early on.
***
Wouldn’t it be nice if the whole violent regime of Iran was neutralized and the Iranian People liberated from its oppressors and able to march to prosperity and freedom, dignity and health?
Iranians are no antisemites and have only a warm heart for Israel. Remember that.
About the Author
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Of the 15 (!) books he has in mind, the next two are about homosexuality in Judaism and new rabbinics. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2600 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog that also may contain updates to Times of Israel posts, to which one may subscribe, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
He's getting ready to publicize books on: "Free Will, "Judaism and Homosexuality, "His parents in the Holocaust, "Judaism, "A New Torah Translation and "A New Hebrew Grammar, "Co-Counseling, "Vegan Facts, "Immortality, and more. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He agrees that in a post-truth world, that's irrelevant, but then this is for the record. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. His posts are spell, grammar, and style polished by AI, but all written by himself. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
