Jonathan S. Tobin
JNS, July 11, 2024
“… as Owens has again taught us, not everyone who decries the dead hand of liberal groupthink is a principled dissenter or honest observer. Antisemitic conspiracy theories are always the last refuge of media con artists.”
There is a good argument to be made that the best way to deal with antisemites, and especially Holocaust deniers, is to ignore them. Since they seek publicity, denying them the attention they crave can be like depriving a fire of oxygen. But in the Internet age where the gatekeepers of public discourse no longer exist, the virtual public square is open to all, including the very lowest and worst actors. Try as we might, there is no ignoring someone who broadcasts open hate on platforms where they have several million followers. And even if such persons are kept off broadcast and cable outlets, anyone with a YouTube channel with millions of subscribers can never be effectively denied attention.
Still, editors of responsible publications and broadcast outlets are faced with a dilemma anytime someone who is a public figure with a large audience, even if they are entirely disreputable, says something outrageous and deeply offensive that is then spread to a mass audience. Should we note that dangerous and completely false statements are being spread to many millions of people? Or would it be better to simply refuse to dignify their vile screeds by taking the trouble to report and condemn them?
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