James O'Brien from LBC comes under scrutiny

[Teddy Bear]

While not directly connected to the BBC, certain 'journalists' from other media organisations follow the same pattern. Recently I have felt the urge to confront one of them. Here is a copy of our exchanges. I will keep readers updated as more come in.

My first response to his programme on the London radio programme LBC on Wednesday 9th August.

You appear not to realize that YOU are a bigot - by your own definition given today (Wednesday), and are indeed anti-Semitic.
You write:
"...express my profound depression at the notion that some people apparently believe that questioning any aspect of Israeli policy renders the questioner anti-semitic."
This very statement is in itself anti-Semitic, because it denigrates those Jews who criticize those like yourself who employ double standards when judging Israel. You have no criticism of those terrorists who use civilians as human shields, precisely for the purpose to vilify Israel who must retalliate following the assault on Israeli civilians in violation of international law.
You offer no solution to the problem, because you are too ignorant and bigoted to really care enough to research and seek one. Instead you merely point the finger at Israel and say "THEY ARE WRONG".
You have nothing positive EVER to say about Israel, which in light of their many achievements and contributions to western society speaks volumes about your bigotry as defined by yourself.

No doubt you will dismiss this criticism of yourself, because like every bigot, you are not really interested in the truth, just what you want to believe.

You clearly wish that Britain had never bombed Dresden, or the US nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You would have preferred greater loss of life on your own side to satisfy your idea of 'fairness'. Just so long as you don't mind your own family being among those victims who make up that more equal number that's fine.

Have you considered that Israel only has 5 million Jews against hundreds of millions Arabs who wish to destroy it, and any 'proportionate' casualty figure would see Isael wiped out many times over?

Just to clarify for your future discourses, which no doubt will be forthcoming since you so love the sound of your own voice, it is not THAT you disagee with Israel policy that makes you anti-Semitic, it is the reasons for it, and failure to measure up morally to what you propose Israel should or shouldn't do in response.

To which he replied:

As I said, some blind and dangerous people will level the anti-semitism accusation at anyone who questions any aspect of Israeli policy. Had you removed your head from your own posterior for long enough to actually listen to what I say rather than what you want to hear you would know that my profound distress at this whole episode is based upon a belief
that current atrocities bring the state of Israel into the same moral vacuum as the murderous terrorists they seek to eradicate. I would love to know how you can equate this position with being biased or not criticising Israel's enemies.

Followed by my response:

And as I said, IT IS NOT that you question or criticize Israeli actions or policies that makes you anti-Semitic, it is that you have no alternative policy other than to say "IT IS WRONG". Your criticisms, by which you denigrate Israel to feel that you are in a superior moral position, is entirely double-sided. You are in reality an ignorant moral coward, who spends more time criticising Israel in an unenviable situation but forced to
act, than the heathens who use the liberal media, of which you are a part, to further their aims, thus increasing the death toll in that conflict. You apparently feel that Israel should have no way to retalliate against those terrorists who purposefully use civilians as human shields, knowing that any reaction from Israel to protect its own will meet with the media wrath.

According to you, the authorities must give in to every crazy murderer who holds hostages, even allowing them to kill other civilians with impunity, because the police might kill the innocents held by this madman. If it's your wife and daughter being shot at by this killer, will you still be so magnanimous? History shows you won't be, but it's easy for you to think you might as long as you're not in that situation, isn't it?

In response to Hizbollah's rocket attacks, purposefully fired to fall
indiscriminately on civilian areas, Israel identifies the site from where they fire their rockets, drop leaflets for all civilians to evacuate, knowing this also gives Hizbollah the opportunity to flee, before they destroy that site. It has been the responsibility of the Lebanese to stop Hizbollah, instead they chose to give them free rein, as also did the UN. Now you expect Israel to absorb any attacks they care to make without response.

If this is the price of your approbation - go screw yourself. The days are over when the Jews go quietly to their deaths - which is what you want to appease what you would like to be your moral integrity. Be sure not to anger your Muslim listeners by being incensed at the Hizbollah tactics, or many of your fellow journalists who make a living appeasing them. NOW YOU SEE WHY YOU ARE AN ANTI-SEMITE.

Also, do try to stick to intellectual debate instead of resorting to
personal insult. I understand it is because your point of view is
indefensible that you do so, but you might find the attempt to be civil will raise your sights somewhat, and perhaps you will find a fairer and more equitable perspective yourself.

[Teddy Bear]

For anyone not familiar with this radio presenter, he appears between 10am and 1pm midweek on 97.3 FM. One can also listen to him, if you feel like subjecting yourself to that experience on the web via their website www.lbc.co.uk

Anyway. today I received a response from him

Dear Theodore,
Just to let you know that I'm probably going to put your
correspondence on my website as an example of just how ridiculous some of the emails I receive can be but I need to clear a couple of things up first.
I presume from the fact that you can spell and string a sentence
together that you are in full command of your faculties so please
explain how you can call me an ignorant anti-semitic coward, and more, while simultaneously objecting to personal insults!
I am supremely and utterly confident that there is not an anti-semitic bone in my body. You, by contrast, appear to be so motivated by hatred and bile that you stoop to misrepresentation and downright lies in support of an essentially racist agenda - i.e. the subscription to a belief that people should be treated differently according to their race.
I presume the 'insult' you refer to - while unutterably mild compared to the ones you level at me in your hysterical and frankly unhinged manner - was my contention that your head is regularly situated somewhere up your posterior. Nothing you have said persuades me from this opinion.
Do you mind if I include your email address in my full posting of our correspondence? I think it would further the balanced debate you are so keen to have.
Toodle pip
James

To which I replied:

I find it strangely humourous, if somewhat sad, when you attempt to be glib, because you really believe you are. Similarly when you spend 10 minutes at the beginning of your show belabouring your daily topic, which was already spelled out quite clearly in the first 2 sentences. Presumably it's in the belief you are being entertaining, particularly when you inject
your forced audible 'grin' into the sentence in an attempt to sound genuinely amused. You would do well to listen to Paul Ross, Clive Bull, and at times Nick Ferrari, to better understand what constitutes a humerous and entertaining spiel.

Since you have felt it necessary to repeat your same personal insult, with the addition of a few more, I will address it this time. In the first place the lack of creativity with which you do so, tells a lot about you. You have no other recourse, as you certainly haven't even attempted to answer any of the points I gave that refute your mistaken self-image. Quite simply - you can't.

If my head would be up my posterior, as you've twice stated now, if it was it would first be a compliment to my physical agility to which any yogi would be envious.
And, if I had any reason to put my head there, it would only be to better study and understand those of your ilk. Please ask someone to explain if you didn't understand it.

Apparently you think it is enough to state "I am supremely and utterly confident that there is not an anti-semitic bone in my body" for it to be true. I made numerous points that indicate otherwise, yet you seem unable to answer even one of them, You even ask again "so please explain how you can
call me an ignorant anti-semitic coward".DUH!!!

In a genuine debate, It is not enough to simply make assertions like "You, by contrast, appear to be so motivated by hatred and bile that you stoop to misrepresentation and downright lies in support of an essentially racist agenda - i.e. the subscription to a belief that people should be treated differently according to their race",
or
"...level at me in your hysterical and frankly unhinged manner".
You need also to illustrate where and what makes it true, otherwise it's nothing more than spiteful name calling because you lack the intelligence and wit to respond with anything else.

You are ignorant because you either choose to ignore the points that contradict your existing viewpoint, or are incapable of understanding them - you choose which.
You are anti-Semitic because you are quick to condemn without justification for your conclusions. Where do you see any historical event where whatever you would call YOUR SOCIETY or nation has done better under similar provocation or pressure than the one you choose to vilify? Please don't ask me to repeat this again, you're getting as tiresome as your 3 hour programme. Try answering this point instead of merely casting it aside and
we may get somewhere, otherwise spare me your insulting responses.

I would be very happy for you to post my comments on your website, provided they appear in their entirety. This way any reader can make up their own mind. I would object most strongly however to making my email address public. I'm aware that there are many out there of your ilk, and I have neither the time or inclination to subject myself to their agenda, bigotry, or ignorance. Since the truth is sufficient to itself, I also have no need of support or praise from those who agree with me.

Tootle Pip to you too. This must show I am unaffected, witty, and dominant. I fervently hope I have something else in my communication to convey this however.

[Teddy Bear]

Not surprisingly, since he could only dig himself a deeper hole inless he was prepared to retract some statements, I received this today:

Bored now. Won't read this. Thanks for listening though

To which I responded:

If you're bored it's because you don't really use your thought processes.
It's different when you can't just talk over and then disconnect intelligent callers who voice opinions other than your own, isn't it? No doubt you think because you spend so much time patronising listeners that you're not a bully.

I had a premonition you would use the word 'won't' when the reality would be 'can't'.
I see you didn't disappoint me there.

Now continue to convince yourself it's not important what view you express so long as you get a reaction, it's the typical strategy for the mediocre.

To be frank James, I'd rather see you improve if you're going to stay on air, than score points off you. It would be vastly more satisfactory for me.

I suspect this might be the end of our communications, unless he feels the need for a last dig of some kind.

[Teddy Bear]

Yup, predictably he couldn't resist having a final dig. Bear in mind this is a professional broadcaster who gets 3 hours airtime every day during the week on talk radio to London. Anyway here's today's offering from him:

Please stop pestering me now. I only enjoy exchanges like this when I am convinced that the other person is in full possession of their faculties.

This is rather like shooting fish in the barrel. I really would much prefer to have some sort of intellectual debate, but doubt it will ever happen with this guy. My response:-

You'll be pleased to hear, I've come to the conclusion you're not anti-Semitic. your just plain left-liberal ignorant.

By "full possession of their faculties", I take that to mean ' in agreement with you'. I'd need a lobotomy for that to happen.

My advice to you James, is stick to topics you can get your head around, like dating, sweet eating, etc. and avoid heavy political stuff. You're way out of your depth. I know you don't like to hear this stuff, but just look at the tenor of your communications. No logic or thought, just one insult after another. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
Probably not, but you should be, especially now you're a father, although presently you act more like a fathead.

By the way, I don't find any website for you. Perhaps you wouldn't mind giving me the details of it.

Anyone care to predict whether he'll try for another dig?

[Teddy Bear]

And he does....

Oh go away now you silly little man.

I must admit, I can't resist another swipe, but unless he comes up with something more intelligent, I won't be bothering to answer any more.

You really can't help yourself, can you? You've got to try a final dig, I just wish you had more creativity. It's very simple, stop replying - and so will I - get it?

What's in a name?
Here's some anagrams of yours.
A Jibe Sermon
Jibes Moaner
Jeers in a mob
Jibes Or Mean
Job - Me in Arse
Aim - Sneer Job

[toni]

I've never joined one of these forums before but googled james o'brien today after hearing him interview an israeli woman while i was in a taxi today and just had to write this. i want to get hold of the podcast(?) of his show cos the piece i heard will help me explain to all my non-Jewish friends why we feel things so passionately. I can't believe what i've just read here. you call someone a bigot without any justiffication and then get all arsey when they respond negatively. how can you possibly hope to get your points across when your the one doing all the insulting? he sounded like a pretty cool guy on the radio today and i'm sorry but he's kicked your ass in these emails. if you can't see that 'teddy bear' then your head reallt is up your posterior!!!!!!!
we need all the friends we can get at the mo and i'm just glad this guy hasn't let you turn him into another media enemy

[Teddy Bear]

Welcome Toni.
Feel free to voice your opinion, and hope you will continue to do so, but I would ask that you refrain from insults, it really brings communication down.

I don't know what isn't clear to you about the exchange between myself and J.O'B. I explained my justification with various points for calling him a bigot BY HIS DEFINITION, and anti-Semitic, several times. He didn't respond to any of them, but simply resorted to insults, which is the reaction of one who has lost the argument but is not gracious enough to admit it.

It's a pity you didn't hear the exchange he had with 2 Jewish women on the day I wrote to him, basically trying to put their point across. Since it differed from his own view he was bullying and insulting. I didn't hear todays broadcast, but if he was deferential to an Israeli as you seem to imply, though I'm not sure, then perhaps it was helped by our exchange.

As for 'friends', I am quite sure I don't need any lecture or enlightenment from you as to who is and who isn't a friend of Israel. James O'Brien IS one of the media enemy, not only to Israel, but to civilisation in the pursuit of his liberal (not thought out) goals. When any person or organisation from our society condemns a lawful and democratic nation who is trying to protect itself from terrorists firing missiles indiscriminately into cities and towns this is first suspect. When this lawful nation drops leaflets warning civilians to flee before bombing areas used by these terrorists, and still they are vilified, this is doubly suspect. When civilians have remained and then claimed to be victims of Israel's bombing campaign, when the reality has to be that they are purposefully held there by the terrorists to be used as art of their media strategy, even purposefully staged, this is trebly suspect.

How much more do you need?

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

For all I know toni, I wouldn't be surprised if you are James O'Brien, you certainly exhibit similar traits. Make any point you like, but use intellectual debate to make it, not plain insults. If this is what 'kicks ass' for you, I'm sorry for you.

[indikit]

I've never listened to James O'Brien and after reading his pompous, juvenile responses to your e-mails, I never would. The question of how someone with such a narrow intellect and shallow wit ever got a job at LBC isn't worth asking, because that would automatically suggest that LBC has a standard. Of which it clearly does not.

The beauty of your replies Teddy Bear, is their clarity and intelligence. I think they must have stung O Brien on more levels than you credit him for. The fact that there is someone more intelligent out there than himself (although his own intellect is clearly self-delusional), of which he cannot shoot down with choice words and the flick of a switch, must have irked him to the point of despair.

"Oh go away now you silly little man"

If that is the breadth of his intellect and the only defense for his brazen bigotry that has been made apparant in his replies - let alone his radio show - I pity his listeners and his children, let alone his education.

"Toodle pip"? Seriously. Is there anyone in the world outside of Dick Van Dyke that would ever use this expression even in jest let alone mockery.

Another Z list disc jockey desperately trying to avoid his deserved position on the scrap heap of has-beens, of which - by the sounds of it - will be coming quite soon.

[Teddy Bear]

Indi' I'm impressed with your 'take' on O'Brien from his posts above, especially without having heard him. Thanks too for the compliments.
You might get a kick out of listening to him sometime just to confirm things for yourself. He's on between 10am and 1pm during the week on 97.3. Even if you just catch the first 10 minutes of his show, where a labors a point made in the first 2 sentences into 10 minutes, and you end up having to peel yourself off the wall to get to the off switch.
If Toni above was him, and I suspect it was, it was the most creative part of the whole exchange, but one could wish for a whole lot more.