Radio Troll

I’ve been blogging fiercely since February, so I know a troll when I see one: you know, someone who provokes and outrages to get attention. I just got a press release from a radio troll. Take note of this:

Nationally syndicated radio columnist Andy Martin will host a special worldwide radio/Internet news conference edition of “Andy Martin’s America” Tuesday, September 24th at 1:00 P.M. to urge President Bush to invade Israel instead of Iraq. “Israel is the more dangerous outlaw state,” says Martin.

Why yes, Israel, the only democracy, the only free press, the only thriving economy, the only country living in the 21st century in the Middle East is likely at any moment to drop a nuke or two – on a whim – on Jordan or Egypt or Lebanon, just because. Israel has shown remarkable restraint with its weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein has used every weapon he has ever begged, borrowed or stolen on his neighbors and on his own people.

“Israel has weapons of mass destruction that destabilize the region; why not take them out? We cannot allow Israel to have nuclear weapons and deny them to the Arabs. Israel has committed atrocities against civilians just like Saddam’s regime.

“Saddam is a war criminal. Israelis elected a war criminal to lead them, Ariel Sharon. Iraq violates UN Resolutions; so does Israel. What gives? Torture and terror is torture and terror whether committed by Arabs or Israelis. Israel has been called ‘an army with a state’ and desperately needs ‘regime change.’

“Israeli leaders espouse neo-Nazi doctrines. In the New York Times for September 21, p. A8, Israeli leaders speak of ‘squashing’ human beings and proving their own ‘omnipotence.’ ‘Squashing untermenschen’ and proving racial superiority and ‘omnipotence’ were the racist hallmarks of the Third Reich. Israeli ‘omnipotence’ is a racist doctrine.”

Martin, a sentient human being living in the United States, can’t possible believe this litany of bizarre pseudo-equivalences.

First: stability in the Middle East is something we want to destroy, not perpetuate. The status quo of Saddam, Arafat, the theocracies of Iran and Saudi Arabia are neither to our advantage, nor to their own people’s advantage. Indeed, from the opposite perspective, Israel’s nuclear capability hasn’t destabilized anything, since this grim status quo has developed with Israel in possession of nukes. Israel can be trusted to be responsible with its weapons: Saddam most certainly cannot.

Next, Martin has taken the NY Times statements – what a shocker – completely out of context. Martin’s quote is this:

Israeli leaders speak of ‘squashing’ human beings and proving their own ‘omnipotence.’

What the article actually says is this:

Another constraint is political. Mr. Sharon’s coalition would not survive without the Labor Party, whose leaders include Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and both have declared themselves opposed to a policy of that relies on force alone.

“Today there are two schools of thought in the government,” Mr. Ben-Eliezer said in an interview published today in Yediot Ahronot. “One is to squash them and to conquer them completely, and the other realizes that this is the time to hold out a hand and to walk side by side.”

Yet throughout the current conflict, Mr. Sharon has demonstrated his political skill in pushing ahead with his agenda whenever he felt public opinion behind him, usually after suicide attacks. In the end, both the Americans and the Labor Party have fallen in line.

Behind that approach, said Yossi Alpher, an Israeli analyst, was a conviction that peace could be achieved only when the Palestinians lost all doubt about Israeli resolve and omnipotence.

The “squashing” being discussed – by an opponent of the strategy – refers to subduing the general populace, not “squashing” individual human beings; and the “omnipotence” referred to is Israel’s absolute will against itself being conquered and wiped from the face of the earth, as is still the expressed aim of a large portion of Palestinians and the greater Arab/Islamic world.

Comparing what is said in the NY Times article to Nazi policy is pure baseless provocation from the radio troll. His own bio confirms this:

Martin’s controversial program “Andy Martin’s America” is a fulcrum of foreign policy debate, political analysis and contemporary commentary on the internet.

Martin’s program draws an international audience and has included foreign diplomats as guests. Martin is the only American radio talk show host who supports Palestinian rights and the Israeli peace movement. He is a respected voice in America’s intelligence community. He has traveled through the Middle East. His foreign experience includes Europe, Iran and Asia.

Martin consults in the areas of military security and intelligence; he studied under the late Bernard Fall and founded the Revolutionary War Research Center.

Martin served as an assistant to former Illinois U.S. Senator Paul H. Douglas. He has been involved in various aspects of broadcasting for 34 years. He also served as an adjunct professor of law at the City University of New York.

Martin’s radio program “Andy Martin’s America” covers national and international matters from 1-2 P.M. Radio call-in (800) 810-9727. Internet radio website 1340wpbr.com (click “on air”).

Based upon this press release, I would say Martin’s show is a fulcrum for the very worst in shock jock foolishness. I am torn between wanting to flood his show with rational refutation of his nonsense, and hoping that not one soul tunes in. You decide.

This press release can also be found here.