The Australian: The Herald Buckles to the Bullies

Excerpt's from The Australian's coverage of Mike Carlton's resignation. Schadenfreude overload! My comments, of course, as appropriate:

'Jewish bigot', 'pissant', 'Likudnik': Carlton ordered to apologise for torrent of abuse, Sharri Markson, 6/8/14

"As The SMH's editor-in-chief Darren Goodsir admitted to a former Fairfax director that he was not finding it easy to keep the newspaper 'fair and balanced', he has spent the past few days responding to readers incensed over Carlton's columns and the paper's coverage of the conflict in Israel. 'I deeply regret the insulting, discourteous and unprofessional remarks Mike Carlton made to you,' Goodsir emailed one businessman on Friday. 'Your points are valid, and well made - and, while I am not sacking him as you have urged, please rest assured that I have admonished him in the strongest terms. I apologise for his inappropriate conduct, and have stressed to him the need for higher standards in future'."

Gutless Goodsir in grovel mode.

"While Goodsir was apologising on his behalf, Carlton continued to inflame the situation, tweeting this week: 'Now the loony Likudnik racists are infuriated I have a Jewish son-in-law. That's okay. I'll have him taken out and shot...' This was followed by: 'No, they're turds. The truly astounding thing of the past week has been the racism, hatred and bigotry of the Likudniks.' Another tweet said: 'Oh FFS, you stupid little pissant'... "

So, FFS, how would you (my readers that is) fend off a swarm of Zionist blowies?

"'How arrogant and foolish you are,' he said to one reader, while telling another, 'Looking forward to hearing from you after you have joined the IDF and gone off to kill some kids. Reluctantly, of course. Until then, f.k off'... "

My God, Carlton's got their number! Brilliant!

"University of Sydney media and communications graduate Allie Pollak, 25, wrote to Carlton articulating her view on his columns. 'In my humble opinion you could be using your valuable real estate much more wisely by investing your eloquence and intelligence to shed light on how a troubling but resolvable saga could do with a whole lot more pressure for peace and a call to end the blame game,' she wrote. Despite the polite nature of her email, Calton fired back: 'As a 'communications graduate' you really do need to discover the dangling participle. And do something about it'."

Methinks there's a whole lot more out there for Ms Pollak to discover, the dangling participle being the least of it. Namely: 'a troubling but resolvable saga'. So, er, Allie, what is it exactly you find troubling about the matter, my dear?

"Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Robert Goot said Carlton's responses to some of his readers were racist and showed an intolerance of views that differed from his own... "

This from an Israel lobby head honcho... what a hoot!

"Defamation senior counsel Bruce McClintock said some of the Herald's readers would have grounds to pursue legal action if they wished. 'Calling someone a bigot on Twitter, in the public domain, is clearly defamatory. Undoubtedly,' he said."

Don't hold your breath!

Colleagues brought down abusive Carlton, Sharri Markson, 7/8/14

"It was Mike Carlton's own colleagues who sealed his fate, complaining about his abusive behaviour towards readers to Fairfax Media's news and business publisher, Sean Aylmer. Despite Carlton claiming he had vast support at The SMH, and his downfall was a result of the 'Israel lobby', The Australian can reveal a number of Fairfax employees went to Aylmer with evidence of Carlton's abusive comments... The Australian emailed... Goodsir, and Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood 24 examples of Carlton's use of abusive and anti-Semitic language towards readers just before 5pm on Tuesday. Despite the extensive evidence, Aylmer was led to believe there were only a handful of readers who had been offended. Goodsir did not want to punish Carlton... As a result, the agreed course of action was for Carlton to apologise to the readers he had offended. But Fairfax employees who knew of Carlton's behaviour and antics on social media went over Goodsir's head to speak to Aylmer about it late on Tuesday. Several employees expressed concern to Aylmer that this was not appropriate behaviour for a senior columnist... Hywood and chairman Roger Corbett had also become aware of the situation, with business leaders complaining to Hywood and at least one board member. By the time Goodsir issued a statement at 8pm apologising for inappropriate and offensive comments on Carlton's behalf, Aylmer was convinced that this was no longer sufficiently strong action... Aylmer overruled Goodsir, phoning Carlton after 9pm to tell him he was suspended for 4-6 weeks. Carlton was angry and hung up the phone."

Ah... rats in the ranks! But no names. Naturally.

"Former editor of the Herald Alan Oakley...said columnists and cartoonists were not above editing. 'I'm amazed that he survived at Fairfax for as long as he did... ' Oakley, who now works for News Corp, publisher of The Australian, said."

The Fairfax/News Corpse revolving door. Free press?

"Former 2GB radio journalist, Joel Labi tweeted: 'I don't like to speak ill of colleagues, but good riddance Mike Carlton. Your blatant anti-Semitism and the #smh cartoon have no place here'."

Labi was rambammed in 2007.

"An unrepentant Carlton refused to accept that it was solely his contact with readers that led to his downfall. While acknowledging he should not have sent the abusive emails to readers, he blamed the Israel lobby for being partly at fault, along with News Corp. 'I think it's got a lot to do with it, not totally. They are powerful and pervasive,' he said. 'I do (think they're too powerful), they have an extraordinarily powerful affect, way beyond their numbers, they have immense clout on the body politic, on the media and so on. He said it was not a 'conspiracy' but that 'every journalist in town will tell you that you cross the Jewish lobby, the Israel lobby, the Likud lobby at your peril'."

Absolutely!