CNN Equates Fears of Jewish Americans with Those of Homegrown Hezbo Supporters

At CNN, the moral relativism never ends. In the wake of shootings by a Muslim at a Seattle Jewish center that left one person dead and others injured, CNN somehow managed to equate the fears of American Jews that there could be other such incidents . . . with the fears of American supporters of Hezbollah.

The focus of the 'Safe at Home?' segment narrated by CNN's Kelli Arena on today's Saturday Morning show was indeed the aftermath of that Seattle shooting, and how Jewish groups around the country are expressing fears and taking precautions.

But you could almost hear the CNN producer's gears grinding: "Wait! We can't have a segment that focuses exclusively on Jewish fears. Quick: get me some balance!" What CNN came up with was an interview with Rami Nuseir, an Arab-American activist.

CNN's Arena started the relativistic slide by claiming that the FBI's program of reaching out to Arab-American leaders for help in identifying potential threats has 'backfired': "Arab-Americans feel as though they are constantly under suspicion."

Nuseir seconded the notion: "The burden has proof has shifted onto the community. We have to be pro-active and go to law-enforcement authorities and convince them that there is nothing on our end."

Neither Nuseir nor Arena cited a single case of an Arab-American falsely accused of anything.

Arena: "Especially under scrutiny - Hezbollah sypmathizers. FBI officials say they are carefully monitoring individuals in the US with known connections to the group."

Continued Arena: "The State Department classifies Hezboallah as a terrorist organization, but many Arab-Americans disagree."

Back to Nuseir: "Certainly a lot of people look at Hezbollah as a social service agency that provides a lot of help to the Lebanese people, and that's where the sympathy comes from."

Concluded Arena, in a crescendo of moral relativism: "So despite all the efforts to provide security, both Arab and Jewish Americans are feeling targeted, and that only intensifies the potential for violence."

So the concerns of members of a group that recently suffered a murder at the hands of a Hezbollah sympathizer are equated with the concerns . . . of Hezbollah sympathizers! And CNN implies that there is an equal 'potential for violence' within both groups.

Right.

Mark Finkelstein lives in the liberal haven of Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the award-winning public-access TV show 'Right Angle.' Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net