Thread:

Dear @RobertWrighter:

I
have benefited in past from @BloggingHeads, so it is disturbing that the platform was handed over for 90 minutes to an activist pushing misinformation on #Syria, primarily to attack #WhiteHelmets and to deny #ChemicalAttacks.

In 90 minutes, the activist offered almost no reliable information. Instead, he used @BloggingHeads for a series of misrepresentations and sometimes falsehoods.

1. He claims "journalistic malpractice" in BBC Radio 4 documentary #Mayday w/o citing single example.

#Syria
2. His only "evidence" on #Douma #ChemicalAttack is a misrepresentation of tweets by @DalatRM and an incorrect claim about Robert Fisk.

3. He misrepresents creation of #WhiteHelmets

4. He falsely claims WH "took part in executions".

#Syria
5. He misrepresents #WhiteHelmets "celebrating w Al Qa'eda" in a "town in #Idlib Province" (not realizing that it is Idlib city)

6. He claims WH "ties with jihadists" w no evidence

7. His claims are ill-informed, at best, about start & course of #Syria conflict.
8. Specifically, he is ignorant re intervention by #Iran and #Hezbollah & how and why it occurred.

9. He distorts audit findings re #WhiteHelmets and #JamesLeMesurier (adding ad hominem v. LeMesurier).

10. W no evidence, he claims 2013 #EastGhouta sarin attack was "false flag".
11. He misrepresents #OPCW process & findings on #Douma (using assertions fed to him by 1 ex-OPCW staffer, personal view of 1 other ex-staffer, and no other evidence).

12. His only other "evidence" is that an #OPCW official "says 'like' a lot".
So @robertwrighter, you could have reached out to #Syria specialists who have done detailed research & analysis, discussing their evidence. You might have tried interviewing @ChloeHadj about #Mayday. You might have talked w those documenting #ChemicalAttacks.

#Syria
At least you could have pressed activist about unsupported and distorted claims, given he has been unable to answer v. 1st challenging questions on #Twitter re #WhiteHelmets and #Douma.
This is not a question of "balance". You cannot balance misinformation/misrepresentation.

It is a question of doing justice to #Syria and Syrians with a starting point of reliable information and analysis. I think that's the least you can do for viewers.

Best --- Scott

More from For later read

Today's Twitter threads (a Twitter thread).

Inside: Planet Money on HP's myriad ripoffs; Strength in numbers; and more!

Archived at: https://t.co/esjoT3u5Gr

#Pluralistic

1/


On Feb 22, I'm delivering a keynote address for the NISO Plus conference, "The day of the comet: what trustbusting means for digital manipulation."

https://t.co/Z84xicXhGg

2/


Planet Money on HP's myriad ripoffs: Ink-stained wretches of the world, unite!

https://t.co/k5ASdVUrC2

3/


Strength in numbers: The crisis in accounting.

https://t.co/DjfAfHWpNN

4/


#15yrsago Bad Samaritan family won’t return found expensive camera https://t.co/Rn9E5R1gtV

#10yrsago What does Libyan revolution mean for https://t.co/Jz28qHVhrV? https://t.co/dN1e4MxU4r

5/
the whole point of Dunks was you could go cop them at VIM whenever you wanted for $65. this shit is like having to enter a raffle to buy milk.


like seriously why not make a ton more of them if they're gonna be so sought-after? they land at outlets? so? nike still makes money off that.

the only reason to keep making them so limited is that they KNOW all that matters is the profit on the flip and if they were readily available FEWER people would want them, not more

the whole system is super broken, but it's just gonna go the way it goes, because at this point it all caters to the secondary market. the only reason Nike can sell Jordan 1s for $200 is because the people buying them can flip them for $500

adjusted for inflation, a $65 AJ1 in 1985 is like $160—and modern-day AJ1s are made from cheaper materials in factories staffed by cheaper workers. they don't HAVE to be $200 retail. but the secondary market nuked the whole concept of what sneakers are "worth"

You May Also Like

Department List of UCAS-China PROFESSORs for ANSO, CSC and UCAS (fully or partial) Scholarship Acceptance
1) UCAS School of physical sciences Professor
https://t.co/9X8OheIvRw
2) UCAS School of mathematical sciences Professor

3) UCAS School of nuclear sciences and technology
https://t.co/nQH8JnewcJ
4) UCAS School of astronomy and space sciences
https://t.co/7Ikc6CuKHZ
5) UCAS School of engineering

6) Geotechnical Engineering Teaching and Research Office
https://t.co/jBCJW7UKlQ
7) Multi-scale Mechanics Teaching and Research Section
https://t.co/eqfQnX1LEQ
😎 Microgravity Science Teaching and Research

9) High temperature gas dynamics teaching and research section
https://t.co/tVIdKgTPl3
10) Department of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering
https://t.co/ubW4xhZY2R
11) Ocean Engineering Teaching and Research

12) Department of Dynamics and Advanced Manufacturing
https://t.co/42BKXEugGv
13) Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering Teaching and Research Office
https://t.co/pZdUXFTvw3
14) Power Machinery and Engineering Teaching and Research