Rantz: Wake up, Seattle media! There’s only one side with Israel-Hamas war

Seattle media continue to pretend there are two equal sides to Israel’s war against the terrorist group Hamas. There isn’t. You’re either on the side of Israel, or you’re siding with terrorism. And any attempts to pretend otherwise will backfire.

It’s no secret that Seattle media roles are primarily filled with liberals and progressives. Some attempt to be objective, but most others don’t seem to care that they’re taking partisan positions. While they have likely justified their bias as being in line with Seattle’s far-left audience, they’re almost certainly misjudging perceptions of this war.

Several polls were taken after the Hamas terrorist attack and Israel’s response in Gaza. The results are overwhelming: Americans side with Israel, not pro-Hamas supporters taking their hate to our streets to celebrate terrorism.

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Seattle media seems to think locals side with Hamas

In a new Quinnipiac poll, 76% of voters believe supporting Israel is in the national interest of the United States. Only 17% disagree. Across party lines, it’s just as stark: Republicans (84-12%), Democrats (76-17%), and independents (74-19%). CNN and Washington Post polls show the same level of support. 71% believe Israel’s defensive war is justified, and 78% say this country’s support for Israel is appropriate or not enough, respectively.

So why is local coverage so out of step with how people feel?

Cornelius Hocker of KING 5 ran a rabidly antisemitic, one-sided report with a business owner claiming Israel is responsible for the Hamas attack. News director Julie Wolfe wouldn’t explain if the report met internal guidelines (to the extent they exist). Meanwhile, Hocker reposts criticisms of Israel on his X account but is silent on Hamas terrorism.

In our local newspaper, columnist Naomi Ishisaka accused Israel of “merciless atrocities,” “collective punishment,” and “war crimes.” All but one paragraph of her recent screed is focused on the plight of Gazans, whom she pretends are being indiscriminately slaughtered by Israel because, though she should know better, it’s hard to see clearly through such seething hatred of Jews and Israel.

Sanitizing hate rallies

Coverage of Hamas celebrations has been sanitized, too.

Local television won’t show the vicious chants calling for the destruction of Israel or show horrific signs justifying violence against Jews. They clean everything up as if they’re doing PR for terrorist sympathizers. Joel Moreno witnessed pro-Hamas chants calling for the end to Israel but claimed a weekend rally promoted peace. That wasn’t a mistake; it was a lie.

Seattle is certainly far-left but (I hope) not far-left enough to side with terrorists. This city can’t be that much of an anomaly compared to national polls. Yet, Seattle media is pretending like it’s a legitimate debate as to who is right, as if both sides should be treated equally.

And it’s not because that’s what they were “taught” to do. They did not and would offer equal treatment to white supremacy rallies. It would be rightly framed around condemnation.

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Why is Seattle media treating Hamas as equals?

We can explain local media’s reaction favoring Hamas terrorism in a few ways.

There are enough hyperpartisan reporters in Seattle that they likely side against Hamas. Activists working for KING 5’s “Facing Race” team seem to view every issue through a social justice lens, viewing people as oppressors versus oppressed. It doesn’t strain credulity to believe they view Israel as the oppressor. They’re ignorant on issues of race (and gender), so why would we assume they have any clue about Israel and Middle East conflict? And you’ll never see honest coverage in our local newspaper; it’s filled with former Stranger staffers.

But their coverage could also be a strategy to get younger views.

I mean, do you want these viewers?

The younger demographic across the country are the ones celebrating Hamas on the streets. And in the polls, it’s the only demographic that shifts to supporting Hamas.

They’ve been taught by radical educators to see the world through that same oppressor versus oppressed lens (these kids will make great future additions to KING 5, no doubt). It’s why they’re on city streets declaring that Hamas isn’t filled with terrorists but resistance fighters. These young people are spending their days claiming Israel is making up most of the slaughters and rapes.

I suppose I understand why a media outlet would want a younger audience. It’s more lucrative, and it could guarantee a future audience as they get older. Consequently, they don’t want to offend these potential viewers and readers.

But is it worth lying and fomenting antisemitism in order to get them? It’s not even a wise strategy. The antisemitic radicals on college campuses aren’t going to come to become loyalists. They loathe corporate media, but even if they didn’t, they think Jews run the industry.

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