On Wednesday The Gateway Pundit reported on an Islamist Twitter account that claimed the ISIS Amaq News Agency has video of Las Vegas Shooter Stephen Paddock pledging allegiance to the Islamic State.
In response to our article The New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi posted this:
1. I know that we’re all eager for news of a motive in Vegas, but the article below is an example of lazy journalism https://t.co/3J3TGTVMNc
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 11, 2017
She called our report “lazy journalism.”
Then she added this:
Rukmini Callimachi: The article claims that an “ISIS account” is promising a video proving Vegas shooter pledged allegiance. Here’s the alleged account.
2. The article claims that an “ISIS account” is promising a video proving Vegas shooter pledged allegiance. Here’s the alleged account. pic.twitter.com/jXssmzKSKy
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 11, 2017
Talk about lazy journalism — She put “ISIS account” in quotations but nowhere in our article do we mention an “ISIS account.” We specifically labeled the @badrarfag1990 account as an “Islamist account” and never reported that this was an ISIS account.
Big difference.
Then Callimachi added this:
Rukmini Callimachi: This is not an ISIS account. How do I know? Zoom in on the profile picture… This is the flag of Saudi Arabia. ISIS forbids the flying of any banner other than its own. It also considers Saudi gov to be its enemy.
4. This is the flag of Saudi Arabia. ISIS forbids the flying of any banner other than its own. It also considers Saudi gov to be its enemy pic.twitter.com/nZkWq6xkXU
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 11, 2017
But Callimachi is wrong again.
Islamist expert Andrew Bostom corrected the NY Times writer on her ignorant remarks.
Andrew Bostom: But BOTH “ISIS” & “Saudi” flags simply display the Islamic creed’s shahada (lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāh, muhammadun rasūlu-llāh)=Commonality
But BOTH “ISIS” & “Saudi” flags simply display the Islamic creed’s shahada (lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāh, muhammadun rasūlu-llāh)=Commonality pic.twitter.com/kno5MPxPIC
— Andrew Bostom (@andrewbostom) October 12, 2017
Thank you Andrew for that clarification.
On Friday The New York Times released new rules for newsroom journalists on social media.
The New York Times announced on Friday an updated and expanded set of guidelines for our journalists’ use of social media.
The new guidelines underscore our newsroom’s appreciation for the important role social media now plays in our journalism, but also call for our journalists to take extra care to avoid expressing partisan opinions or editorializing on issues that The Times is covering.
In the interest of transparency, we’ve included the complete guidelines below, along with an introductory memo sent to the newsroom by Dean Baquet, our executive editor.
All of us here at The Gateway Pundit proudly take credit for this latest development at The New York Times.
