Current Affairs online magazine has an excellent article by Nathan J. 
Robinson entitled “PROPAGANDA 101: HOW TO DEFEND A MASSACRE.”
Recently, the New York Times — a staunchly pro-Zionist newspaper — published an op-ed from Jewish Journal editor Shmuel Rosner entitled “Israel Needs to Protect Its Borders. By Whatever Means Necessary.”
Rosner is a typical apologist for political Zionism, evincing all the heartlessness and ideological blindness we have come to expect from such defenders of the indefenseless.
Mr. Robinson provides a text-book lesson in how to read as a critical thinker. He does a marvelous job of deconstructing Rosner’s propaganda line-by-line.
I encourage to read the entire piece. It will reward your effort many times over. Just click on the title above. Thanks.
I read the New York Times article and had the same reaction as Robinson. There were persuasive moments, yet what Rosner was saying was chilling. I’m so glad Robinson took the time to deconstruct this article. This is well worth reading, and saving. Critical thinking is so crucial in this political climate – and so rare. I am left wondering how you teach this to people who aren’t going to put in the energy of reading such an article. It seems like just helping people look at the actual facts of situations, while watching for where opinion colors the treatment of the facts. The end of this article is more than worrisome.
Yes, it can easily lead to feelings of futility. I think you are right about focusing on communicating the facts of the situation, together with prayer for a change of heart. I am reminded of the now-famous statement by Golda Meir: “We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children,” she said. “But we can never forgive them for forcing us to kill their children.” Aside from the fact that neither Golda nor Israel ever forgives an Arab for any crime whatsoever, it is the warped, sick logic of a wife-beater. “Why did you make me beat you black and blue?”