Monday, November 16, 2015

France Terror Attack: Journalistic Bait and Switch

France Inter is a French (naturellement) government subsidized network built around a national radio system, and exists as a rough French equivalent of our own PBS, particularly in regards to its Leftist political bent.

It has likewise taken a Gallically superior position regarding the mass migration of hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia and Africa into Western Europe, purportedly seeking political refuge from the turmoil and devastation in the region, though the clear majority somehow are attempting to flood the countries with the more affluent welfare programs.  A recent example of the sanctimonious reportage from last September:

"Refugees: the fantasy of terrorist infiltration"

France has been a nation racked (more than most European countries) with a population, typically Muslim, that has by and large refused to assimilate into the French culture, a problem going back several generations and exacerbated by a substantial percentage (some 12%) of descendants of immigrants from the former French empire, known colloquially as Beurs (or more recently Rebeux).   This headline is typical among the Left, denying the mathematically impossible notion that so many people (mostly males between the ages of 18 and 45) from the Middle East could have terrorists in their midst. 

But then there came the embarrassment of the coordinated attack in Paris last Friday, with the bloodiest site being Le Bataclan theater (89 dead at last count), targeted because it was believed to be still in control of Jewish owners (no longer true) and still active in support of Israeli causes (very much the case).

Well, that just won't do.  Journalists can't be found to be infallible, after all, so tweak some lines in the story and let's see to a bit of an adjustment, still with the same dateline:

"Terrorists among the migrants?"

Quel surprise.

H/T to Tim Blair of The Daily Telegraph (Australia)