How many times have we on the right been lectured by Democrat politicians and mainstream media outlets about what they call the scourge of disinformation? The list of topics on which conservatives have been castigated for supposedly spreading the dastardly disinfo goes on and on. Such claims have always seemed to err in one direction — that is, one that favors leftists and demonizes conservatives. After this week’s disgraceful show of disinformation-peddling in the wake of a blast at a hospital in Gaza City, however, means we should never have to put up with a lecture on disinformation again. Ever.
We’ve weathered breathless coverage and white-knuckled columns about how conservatives were dangerous and reckless with our supposed “disinformation.” Hunter Biden’s laptop from Hell? Russian disinformation amplified by conservatives. The origins of COVID? Racist xenophobia from conservatives. There are too many examples to count, but conservatives know them all too well.
But this week, all those concerns evaporated under the heat of pro-Hamas bias that saw supposedly authoritative sources and those who make our laws decide that disinformation is just fine when it helps them frame Israel as the evil aggressor and aids the argument that residents in Gaza have been living in an “open-air prison” occupied by Israel.
Never mind the fact that Gaza demanded self-governance, which Israel granted when it disengaged almost two decades ago. Never mind that the current Hamas government denied its citizens modern public works, healthcare, or other basic government services in order to fully fund its terrorist operations. Nope, all that mattered when a blast rocked a hospital in Gaza City was making sure Israel was to blame, even if they’re not.
The lies peddled by the anything-but-impartial health ministry — which is run by Hamas — were quickly repeated and emphasized by global media in the U.S. and elsewhere. Even though the explosion didn’t look anything like the results of Israeli airstrikes on a terrorist target, nor was the IDF active in the area at the time of the blast, the disinformation narrative took hold. Now, as Townhall reported from the start, we know that the explosion was the result of a terrorist rocket misfire — intended to kill Israelis — that triggered the blast in Gaza City.
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Within hours of the blast, an IDF investigation showed — with the help of a live Al Jazeera broadcast — that the explosion was the result of a projectile fired from within the Gaza Strip. The United States intelligence has also concurred with Israel’s conclusion — the IDF did not blow up a hospital in Gaza City. Instead, as the IDF figured out, it was Palestinian Islamic Jihad — another Iran-backed terrorist organization that has frequently partnered with Hamas. There are even audio recordings of Hamas barbarians realizing their own terrorist pals in PIJ had just bombed a hospital. What more does the world need?
Despite the rather obvious conclusion — Hamas and PIJ rockets frequently land in Gaza, due in part to their being cannibalized from street signs and sewer pipes — the apologies from those who peddled terrorist disinformation straight from Hamas haven’t arrived. Members of Congress such as Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) — who immediately and incorrectly condemned Israel for a blast it had nothing to do with — were literally running away from reporters on Capitol Hill this week. She of course had enough time to address her fellow pro-Hamas demonstrators, some of whom held a disallowed sit-in at a congressional office building before being arrested. At least three of those arrestees were also charged with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officers during processing.
The Hamas disinformation spread this week is also, as conservatives are all too familiar with, not the first time it’s been used by the left. You see, it’s ok when they do it. As it turns out, Brett Kavanaugh is not a gang rapist, despite what the left said. Kyle Rittenhouse is not a domestic terrorist, despite what the left said. Donald Trump did not collude with Russia to trounce Hillary in 2016, despite what the left said. Nick Sandmann is not a bigot, despite what the left said. Inflation wasn’t transitory, despite what the left said.
Whether you want to call it misinformation or disinformation, lies or untruths, conservatives have got to know by now that the left’s supposed concern about “disinformation” is just another way they cloak their desire to silence conservatives. To deplatform and dissuade us from speaking out, holding them accountable, or shattering their fragile reality.
There’s no excuse for what our supposed “leaders” and those in the media did this week and have done before. There’s also no undoing what they did by indulging Hamas propaganda without even attempting to verify what the Iran-backed terrorists were saying. The protests around the Arab world have already started what Hamas terrorists aimed to accomplish with their disinformation. But there’s also no reason why those of us in the real world who value facts and evidence should ever listen to another lecture about “disinformation” or be cowed by accusations of it.
Those responsible for destroying trust in such institutions bear all the responsibility and blame. It wasn’t Donald Trump calling media outlets “fake news” that cratered their credibility — they did and continue to do that all by themselves.
