Reductum Ad Absurdum
A technique that I often use is called "reductum ad absurdum" ...it means showing that an idea is flawed by carrying it to its logical (and absurd) conclusion. Today's cartoon is, however, something entirely different. Amazingly, the first three panels of the comic strip are a direct quote from a real question and answer session with the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the UN.
Question: You read a statement about the situation in Gaza before and I know it's difficult to change terminology, but we have a new Secretary-General now, so let me try it again. A year and half after the last Israeli withdrew from Gaza, the UN system still refers to Gaza as an Occupied Palestinian Territory. The only people who are not Palestinian in Gaza currently are UN people. Do you mean that Gaza is occupied by the UN?Spokesperson:Definitely not.Question: So who is it occupied by?Spokesperson: Well…Correspondent: I think there are some Israeli soldiers on the border…Question: Not borders, who is Gaza occupied by?Spokesperson: Traditionally, this is the terminology we have used. Yes?Question: But the situation on the ground changed since Israel withdrew from GazaSpokesperson: I will look into this.Correspondent: Thank you.The unbelievable briefing session was reported at a website called ZioNation and brought to my attention by a loyal reader ... but it was so improbable that I was sure it was a hoax and had to check with the Official UN text.So how in the world am I supposed to poke fun at the UN's insane and irrational anti-Israeli bias when they're so good at doing it themselves? What happens to "reductum ad absurdum" in a world that has so totally lost its senses?!
-more.
Labels: Appeasement, Gaza, Occupation, Occupied Territories, Palestinians, Sherlock Holmes, U.N.
12 Comments:
Fabulous! Anyone know who the correspondent was who pointed out to the UN how absurd their "occupation" language is?
I looked further into the supposed question and answer with the UN rep and a nameless correspondent. When I went to the official UN briefing page for January 30th, I could find no such exchange.
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2008/db080130.doc.htm
Alas! But the cartoon is still excellent and makes a great point. It's a shame that there are apparently no real reporters asking such excellent questions.
IT IS REAL! Sorry for my previous comment. I thought the fabulous exchange between the correspondent and the UN rep was Jan 30, 2008, but it was actually from Jan 30, 2007. When I couldn't find it in the 2008 archive, I doubted its veracity. But I have since been informed that it is from 2007 and it has been verified.
Wow Bones, I once again applaud your ability to lampoon what is obviously not a very funny situation.
18 months after Israel unilaterally left the "Palestinians" alone, and the UN is struggling to redefine its anti-semitism. Don't worry old boy, they'll find a sophmoric way soon enough.
But, in the meantime, if we can have as many of these cartoons as possible, where they poke holes in already swiss-cheese like logic, that would be grreeaaat.
Nice!
Jucarii Copii
Hei Bones
Haha!!Priceless.
Real-life 'scripts' are so much funnier than the invented ones, eh?!
Keep so well and safe. Rii :)
Good Show Old Beam! ! ! I Hope You Have Many More Like That. . .
I think the phrase " I think there are some Israeli soldiers on the border…" must have been said by the spokeperson himself, not the correspondent. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense.
Yes! the actual link is
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/db070130.doc.htm
The spokesperson in this exchange is Michelle Montas, Spokesperson for the Secretary General. The correspondent is not identified.
Oh, yes, so true!!!
Your cartoon is, as always, brilliant, sharp, funny and deeply disturbing all at the same time. But the Latin phrase you want is "reductio ad absurdum." Speaking of which, you might well call the areas ruled by Hamas "Absurdistan" -- maybe you already have.
So it's over a year old now!!
If the spokeswoman looking into it
hasn't gotten an answer,
maybe Orwell's ghost can help ...
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