Newsflash: The disinformation campaign has begun. First, the mainstream media did not issue an estimate of the crowd number. Only FOX estimated that the crowd numbered about 2,000. Most of the MSM camera shots were close frames of the speakers. They did not pan across the crowd. Now, the 9/22 rally organizers are telling people that the rally was a “great success;” Jewish media are asking attendees to estimate the crowd size.
And now, one of my readers has written a post claiming that the 9/22 rally drew “10,000″ people and was a “great success.” I published the Comment but THIS IS A LIE. Please go to AtlasShrugs2000 and see the photos of the rally that Pamela Geller posted.
THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Friends: Earlier today, I was told that the crowd rallying against Ahmadinejad outside the UN has been estimated at anywhere from 2,000-4,000. The media is strangely quiet about the number. But participants have confirmed that the turnout was not what it used to be. FOX has said that about 2,000 people were there. Thats it.
Various members of the LiberalHawks group, including the fearless Pamela (Blog) Gellar of Atlas Shrugs, remind me that in 2006, when this group of Jewish Big Shots rallied against Ahmadinejad, that the crowd was estimated at 40,000. In 2007, the crowd was estimated at 20,000-25,000.
No matter what the reason, people didn’t turn out today and this makes me sad. Yes, I thought that caving into the J Street Jews was unwise. Yes, I thought that dis-inviting Palin was foolish, possibly disastrous. But this is a battle that will require all of us for a very long time. So, whether people decided to stay away for reasons of conscience or whether they came for precisely the same reason, this was too small a showing against a nuclear and genocidal Iran.
My suggestion: Let everyone come to the rally planned for September 25th at 5:30 outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel. And I mean everyone. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, non-voters. And I mean politicians and religious leaders too. Inside the Hyatt countless American churches hope to engage in heartfelt dialogue with the Dinner Jacket.
Let’s unite while it still counts.
And, tommorrow, from 12-2, Iranian dissidents are planning a Wall of Shame right at the Isaiah Wall, opposite the UN, with which to confront Ahmadinejad. Their issue is the epidemic execution of children in Iran. I urge those who can, to bear witness to these crimes against humanity and attend this as well.
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23 Comments
1. jw:Carolyn Glick writes in todays Jerusalem Post: worth reading the whole thing, but paragraph below puts the whole fiasco in perspective.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017359617&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
“IF PALIN had been allowed to deliver this speech at Monday’s rally, she would done just what the organizers of the rally, and what the Jewish people in Israel, America and worldwide need to have done. She would have elevated the imperative of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the implicit moral and strategic imperative of overthrowing the regime in Teheran to the top of America’s national security agenda. Given the massive media attention she garners at all of her public appearances, Palin’s participation in the rally would have done more to steel Americans – across the political spectrum – to the cause of opposing Iran than 10 UN Security Council sanctions resolutions could do.”
Sep 22, 2008 - 6:54 pm 2. Paul S.:Couldn’t agree more. I stayed away because of my disgust at the J Street group.
Sep 23, 2008 - 3:23 am 3. SAF:It is no secret that the left wing of the democratic party is in control. They firmly believe that the USA and Israel is the problem, not Iran. So they oppose any real activities against Iran and will pressure the middle of the road democrats not to participate and also get a Palin off the speaker list. To them it is all about Obama winning. They really don’t believe Iran is a threat.
It didn’t help that we did not find WMD in Iraq, which vindicates their position about intervention and help persuade undecideds that Iran is no threat.
There is no unity about Iran in America. If a handful of Jews had not organized this rally there would not have been one. They apparently take Ahmadinejad’s threat to Israel as serious. I say apparently as a majority of them will vote for Obama who is less likely to do something concrete about Iran than McCain.
Iran will never fire a nuclear tipped missile at Israel because a) it could be intercepted with their one and only nuke b) everyone would know where the missile came from and could retaliate with the insistence of the population c) Israel is completely compromised in terms of infiltrators and I am sure Iran could find many volunteers eager to bring a bomb in and detonate it in Tel Aviv.
And of course the beauty part of a smuggled nuke is you have no return address. I am sure we will set up a panel to study the event. Since this probably can’t happen for a year or two the left won’t be able to blame Bush directly although if Obama is president anything that goes wrong will be blamed on Bush anyway.
Ahmadinejad keeps smiling because he is having a blast watching the entire western world watch him build a nuke out in the open. No one will care who shows up at the grand Hyatt, least of all Ahmadinejad.
Sep 23, 2008 - 3:43 am 4. Amy:I went to the UN demonstration in 2006 but I did not go yesterday. I plan to attend the rally at the Grand Hyatt on the 25th. I share Ms. Chesler’s ambivalence about skipping the UN rally; I thought long and hard about going, but I strongly felt that the liberals’ strong-arm tactics had to have tangible consequences.
Sep 23, 2008 - 4:59 am 5. great unknown:Palin’s going to be in New York on Thursday. What are the chances of her addressing the rally? In any case, there will be many times more people at that Thursday rally than at the Monday self-important posturing exercise. If word goes out – either formally or via the leak route – that “Sarah” is going to be there, expect a massive mob that will put the UN demonstration, and its organizers, to shame.
Sep 23, 2008 - 6:02 am 6. Marina:JStreet were so proud that they’ve got more than 20 000 signatures against Sarah in 24 hours. Wow, what a record! “We won’t come if she comes!” So, where are all THESE people? Why didn’t they attent the rally? They’ve got what they wanted but didn’t come nevertheless. Why? Do they really want Israel to be safe? Do they really want to stop Ahmadinejad? I don’t believe anymore. Ultra-left Jews are sided with Iran to destroy Israel, because Israel had rejected socialism. Why do they participate in such a ralley? To sabotage it in the end?
And this story with the “blackmailing” the organizers. I’m sorry, if they had guts and came out with it before they disinvite Sarah, nobody would ever try to touch their status. They didn’t do it. Why? They had no idea it would backfire so strongly? Or they were actually agree with Obama campaign? How could all this happened? Just incredible!
Sep 23, 2008 - 7:05 am 7. Real:If the american Jews don’t care about Israel why should we?
Sep 23, 2008 - 8:02 am 8. james:See the letters in today’s Wall St Journal from young, religious Jews.
Sep 23, 2008 - 8:06 am 9. Marion L:The old “Order of the Red Diaper” is dying out.
Dear Marina:
As I’m a supporter of J-Street I would like to respond to your question of where we are.
We are in organizations like Peace Now and Meretz USA that are just as concerned about the safety and security of Israel as you are.
We are members and supporters of human rights organizations such as Equality Now, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch because we
support efforts to help victims and potential victims of the horrific human rights abuses in Iran and in 100 other countries.
We inform ourselves about the history of American intervention in Iran, most notably the Eisenhower administration’s CIA overthrow of the secular Mossadeq government in the 1950s; which set the foundation for the terrible conditions in Iran today.
Sep 23, 2008 - 10:49 am 10. Pam:I say this not to absolve Ahmadinejad of blame for his terrible policies, but to emphasize that the more history we know, the more effectively we can respond to contemporary challenges.
Real wrote:
“If the american Jews don’t care about Israel why should we?”
Israel is the only free country in the Middle East. The rest of them are run by some combination of military dictators, fanatical and murderous clergy, and corrupt princes.
I would never think of allowing the views of some irrational American Jews to dictate my views on any given subject, much less one so important as this.
Sep 23, 2008 - 11:14 am 11. Madeline:I went to the second rally at the UN, the one given by Iranian dissidents on 9/23. Their issues are those that come with living under a cruel dictatorship: no trade unions allowed, no criticism of the regime allowed, fear of complaining even to a friend or relative, many people ‘disappearing,’ children executed for absurd ‘crimes against chastity.’ I talked to numerous Iranians asking what they would like Americans to do to help them. They said they wanted more media attention for the widespread human rights violations and support, including financial, for the various resistance groups. Some said they wanted stonger sanctions, from more countries, even if it hurt them economically. Also, VERY IMPORTANT, to a man (and woman) they said the worst thing to do was military intervention. The Iranians I talked to said it would boomerang by stimulating national pride and support for Ahmadinejad as their leader during a time of great stress. And what about the nuclear threat to Israel, I asked. They had nothing much to say about that, for whatever that might be worth. And the attitude among most Iranians, not “the hard-liners,” towards Jews and Israel? We’ve always liked Jews and gotten along well with them, I was told. On the basis of what I heard yesterday and this afternoon, I hope that American journalists will give the resistance groups in Iran more play, as they are asking.
Sep 23, 2008 - 1:40 pm 12. Marion L:Dear Madeline:
Thank you for your insightful post. I agree with it in full, especially the part about paying more attention to Iranian resistance groups and listening to what they think will help, rather than blindly following the Bush administration’s bellicose call for ever-greater levels of unilateral militarism.
Sep 23, 2008 - 1:54 pm 13. Gloria:Marion L you wrote:
“Dear Marina:
As I’m a supporter of J-Street I would like to respond to your question of where we are.”
Marina didn’t ask where you are, she asked where you WERE.
Where were the 20,000 people who so hastily signed J Street’s petition to stop Palin from speaking at the rally? You’d think since they achieved their goal, they’d be thrilled to show up in droves. But they didn’t.
Fact is, most of the people who signed the petition are on the far-left and, Jews or not, they are committed to being anti-Israel. It’s their identity.
You may not be anti-Israel and you may have even gone to the rally yesterday but you are deluding yourself in your support of J Street if you don’t face the truth that most of the people who signed the petition wouldn’t be caught dead at a pro-Israel rally, unless they were protesting it.
Sep 23, 2008 - 2:19 pm 14. Dr. Shalit:Phyllis -
If Gov. Palin and Sen. Clinton had appeared, I suspect the turnout would have surpassed that of 2006 for curiosity sake if nothing else. That would have been a triumph. Instead, the “J Street” folks got their way – ensuring DEFEAT in the USA, just as they wish it elsewhere. After this Un-Spinable debacle, I question NOT only their Patriotism and Judgment – I also question their Judaism and “Raison d’etre.” Dr. Shalit, 9/23/2008 C.E.
Sep 23, 2008 - 5:29 pm 15. Madeline:Dear Marion, Thank you for the kind words. I want to clarify that neither the left nor the right has taken an effective position regarding Iran. Diplomacy means letting oneself be lied to and manipulated. Military intervention – which has not happened yet – would backfire, according to the Iranians I spoke with and listened to as featured speakers. But taking guidance from the dissidents and supporting their efforts to bring down the evil regime, now that’s a different road to take.
Sep 23, 2008 - 7:07 pm 16. exDemocrat:“Equality Now, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch”
Radical, leftist, communist groups..they have nothing, NOTHING, to do with a secure Israel.
Appeasing collabos and useful idiots, the lot of ‘em.
These groups loooove mahmoud.
Sep 23, 2008 - 9:12 pm 17. Maysman:And you dared ask me to join you when you fold so easily to J Street people…and insult my Governor… Such cowards… The Jews of Warsaw must be cringing in their graves… I have more opinions at http://fuanglada.wordpress.com/
Sep 23, 2008 - 10:32 pm 18. narciso:btw, Iran nucs are a done deal.. No one will stop them..
btw2… Little old Christian me is with you… Semper Fi always but you disgraced yourselves this time
Mossadecq was an oldline retread back from the 20s; who decided to revamp his image by going for nationalization. It seemed like a cool idea then, the French had done it, with
Sep 24, 2008 - 8:18 am 19. Marion L:Renault (to punish their Vichy chiefs and Total; but it ultimately had to be reversed.
After 50 years of experience with Iraq and Saudi Arabia; we se how its a dead end. AJAX
succeeded because Mossadeq alienated two of the larger groups in Iran; the bazaaris (middle class) and the mullahs. He was basically left to rely on the Tudeh; Iranian Communists; for support. The Shah apparently forgot that lesson, because his corruption and land reform plans, undermined his trust with those same two groups. Despite the windfall in oil; Ahmadinejad, former IRGC
commando, warden of Evin Prison, appointed mayor of Tehran; hasn’t been able to improve
the conditions in his country; not surprising he hasn’t the credentials or the inclination; they have challenged almost all their technical capacity toward their nuclear program. With a fate, similar to what has befallen Pakistan. Iran’s acquisition of the bomb, will drive every country from the UAE to Algeria into a nuclear arms race; that’s when things get interesting.
Dear exDemocrat:
You are very silly, as all of the groups you cite in your Sep 23, 2008 – 9:12 pm post (Equality Now, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch) are non-governmental, non-partisan, human rights organizations.
Unfortunately there is a serious element to your silliness as the McCarthyism you are engaging in has dangerous consequences when embraced by a lot of people.
Sep 24, 2008 - 9:42 am 20. S4200:The Monday rally was a success.
The crowd was big.
The packed front area was about 150 by 150 feet and packed solidly, estimated 10,000 people, while there were another 5,000 in back of the plaza.
Banafsheh Zand and Nazanin spoke, and all we need is an organized Iranian Peace Front to take over the country.
It must be an orderly transition, no looting, no execution….just a march to a Republic for the Iranian people.
Irwin Cotler is a gem. A great lawyer. He should head a lawyer front in Iran to assure a legal safe system.
Sep 24, 2008 - 9:51 am 21. Madeline:Two comments I want to make: 1) Counting the numbers at the rally to see how much the Democrats were hurt becomes empty after a while. People went to the rally for other reasons than Palin Present or Palin Not Present. Anyway, we will know in November how strong the Democrats are or are not. This isn’t everything.
2) S4200 writes about Iranian resistors who simply want a peaceful change of regime, and I commented about them too. Next questions, and I think they are big, are just what is the nature and scope of the resistance, how likely are they to succeed and will they do it quickly enough to prevent disaster for Israel and other countries, and what can the US do to help them.
It’s important that the media get busy with these questions, and they are not doing that so far.
Sep 24, 2008 - 4:10 pm 22. abigailadams:CodePink founders met with the Iranian president today. I am wondering if they asked about the treatment of women in IRan? DOes anyone know?
Sep 24, 2008 - 10:54 pm 23. wayne:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Leading CODEPINK activists and other peace organizations meet with Iranian president in New York
NEW YORK — Calling it a “major step forward” in relations between Iran and the United States, leading activists Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans of CODEPINK Women for Peace — along with more than 150 other U.S. peace group representatives — met Wednesday afternoon with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here following his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
At the meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, coordinated by interfaith peace group the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the peace activists talked to Ahmadinejad about their desire to strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries. They presented several proposals for the Iranian government to consider and copies of a petition signed by 50 U.S. mayors all over the country calling for diplomatic engagement with Iran, not military action. The petition, promoted by CODEPINK, illustrates how local U.S. leaders are anxious to move national resources away from military intervention and into reinvestment in infrastructure, schools and health care. CODEPINK proposed taking a delegation of U.S. Mayors to Iran to create “sister cities.”
“U.S. government officials are quick to stir up hostilities with Iran, but the American people are tired of war,” said Benjamin, co-founder of the nonpartisan women’s peace group CODEPINK. “The peace movement represents the sentiment of the majority of Americans who want our two countries to find ways to work together and improve relations. We are modeling the behavior we want to see our government adopt.”
The CODEPINK women proposed inviting American and Iranian artists to build a “peace park” in Tehran, a memorial dedicated to people-to-people commitment to peace and diplomacy between our two countries.
They also proposed a plan to invest funds in an Iranian business, one that produces green and sustainable products, such as bicycles. This grassroots investment would be the opposite of efforts by the Bush administration and Congress to tighten sanctions, a move which CODEPINK thinks would only hurt ordinary, everyday Iranians. Such a symbolic CODEPINK investment in a green, sustainable business would challenge U.S. regulations blocking trade with Iran and would show how diplomacy and trade are preferable to war and sanctions.
The meeting, which took place in a cordial and positive atmosphere, was considered a great breakthrough.
“It’s rare for a head of state to take time during an official U.N. visit to meet with the peace community, especially in a situation where the host government—represented by the Bush administration—is so hostile,” said Evans, co-founder of CODEPINK. “The fact that the meeting took place and was so positive is, in itself, a major step forward.”
Code Pink meets with Armegeddon-eye-jab and they get 24,000 letters against Sarah Palin and you wonder who is at work here?
Who else can raise an army of hundreds of thousands of brain-washed college students whose professors give class assignments to pen complaint letters.
George Soros and his cabal over at Moveon.org.
Who else would have provided Zerobamanation with the lawyers he sent to warn the event organizers about sicking the IRS on them. Hell, they are the entire prop that is behind him anyway!!
Soros is the prime agent behind the mortgage debacle, too. He controls the biggest hedge funds behind it all. Economic collapse is good for his boy, Barry, especially if the socialist governments who have the cash to buy up our debt have told Bush that this ends only when Barry is crowned king of America.
Sep 25, 2008 - 2:52 pm