Like so many I have been extremely critical of the media. I don’t shy away from that. It's often deserved. However, to label all journalists as biased and therefore lacking objectivity is drawing a long bow.
Reading comments to various journalists columns is an enlightening experience. It is obvious given the response some people don’t even bother to read the article. They kick-off based on the headline. Given the mendacious replies of others, it is obvious what their agenda is. Then we have the ‘follow the leader' bunch. They’ll scan the comments, find one that fits and merrily keep the lie alive.
An extremely good example of what I am referring to is graphically highlighted as a result of an article written by Ahmed Kilanith and published in the Australian last week. It was titled ‘There should be a charter for local Muslims’. Mr Kilanith spoke of what needed to be done (for the want of a better word) to modernise Islam and to start to address radicalisation. He spoke eloquently on the issue of dysfunctional leadership in the Australian Muslim community and the importance of Australian Muslim leaders and imams, not imports. He shared his very valid opinion that all organisations should implement quotas for female representation on their boards. Mr Kilanith suggested that all boards should comprise 50 percent of suitably, qualified Australian-born or raised female Muslims under the age of 45. Well out they came in force attacking him for wanting female representation on boards. Of course the idiots (sorry, but it needs to be said) completely ignored the fact or simply didn’t read what he wrote, that Mr Kilanith was referring to Muslim boards and Muslim associations NOT all boards. The agenda of the knockers ‘beat up on Muslims’ and simply ignore what they are really saying.
Likewise, there was an article published in The Telegraph about teaching the history of the Middle East and Islam in schools as part of a program to help to combat radicalisation. The idea was tabled by security expert Peter Jennings and is being considered by theeducation board for inclusion in religious studies. Given the success that people like Sarah Khan and her organisation has achieved in the UK with education programs, I personally think the idea has merit. But, the headline caused an eruption within some of the ‘beat up Turnbull’, team. It was all the fault of Malcolm Turnbull. They completely ignored what was being proposed and by whom in their eagerness to take a stab at the Prime Minister.
We see these types of reactions repeated ad nauseam. It simply points to the fact that for far too many, the perception of the facts is shaped and altered by their biased preconceptions. In short, people believe what they want to believe, and the facts be damned.
