Jewish...Sexual Harassment' New York Times Story Sparks Complaints

[Mosby]

(This is the Jewish group)


A front-page New York Times–ProPublica article headlined “A Leading Jewish Philanthropist Is Accused of Sexual Harassment,” is triggering complaints.

One objection is that that the Times was wrong to emphasize the religion of the philanthropist, Michael Steinhardt.

"Am I the only one who thinks ‘Jewish’ in the headline is superfluous information? What is that doing there? The NY Times would be unlikely to say an ‘African-American’ or ‘Baptist’ philanthropist was accused…” wrote one commenter on the Times website.

Another commenter wrote, “I am also deeply disturbed by the headline. Would the New York Times write a headline describing someone as a Christian philanthropist, or a white male? At a time of growing and frightening antisemitism, what is the purpose of this headline? Was its inflammatory nature considered? His alleged victims were Jewish women, but that’s not headlined. And the article makes it clear that he did not limit his donations to Jewish organizations. As a loyal reader of the Times, I am very disappointed.”

https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/03/22/jewish-sexual-harassment-new-york-times-story-sparks-complaints/

[spooky3]

1. Unless NYT changed the headline, the article at your link

Misstates the headline. And both the (current) NYT headline and the story makes very clear that the adjective “Jewish” modified “philanthropy” and “charities” in that most of his philanthropy was directed toward them.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/nyregion/michael-steinhardt-sexual-harassment.html

[Mosby]

2. They probaby did change it, but it's almost the same

Michael Steinhardt, a Leader in Jewish Philanthropy, Is Accused of a Pattern of Sexual Harassment

The article doesn't include any details about his charitable donations, including to whom.

[spooky3]

3. The NYTimes article does. And I think the slight change

is important. It would not be sexist, for example, to say that a leader in giving to women’s organizations was accused of X, whereas the term female philanthropist might be, since it would not necessarily be relevant to point out the gender of the giver. Similarly, saying “a Christian philanthropist” which the writers at your link claim would never be said, could be objectionable, but “a leading donor to Christian charities” does not single out a characteristic of the donor. And that phrase might very likely be used in an article about wrongdoing, since it would be hypocritical of Christians to engage in it.

The burden is on the person accusing the Times of bigotry, bias, etc., to show that that is what is going on.

Wording is important. Consider the difference between “person of color” and “colored person.”

[Behind the Aegis]

4. If you had read the link you provided to the very bottom...

…

A version of this article appears in print on March 20, 2019, on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: A Leading Jewish Philanthropist Is Accused of Sexual Harassment. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

[spooky3]

5. Thank you. I did read the article. You're describing the

Fine print.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. I didn't say you didn't read the article.

I said, "had you read the link you provided to the very bottom..." Remember, "Wording is important".