Yesterday, the Associated Press issued a memo to its staff, advising them on the “location” of the Islamic center and mosque: “The site of the proposed Islamic center and mosque is not at ground zero, but two blocks away in a busy commercial area,” so “We should continue to avoid the phrase 'ground zero mosque' or 'mosque at ground zero' on all platforms.” So basically, "one of world's most powerful news organizations" wants to use accurate terms in its stories.
Right-wing blogosphere translation: The AP issued “a re-tread of a pro-mosque talking points memo.”
Ace of Spades labeled the memo an authoritarian decree. And Sarah Palin took a swipe at the AP via Twitter:
Pamela Geller the leading liar on all things regarding the Islamic center concluded that “The media has its marching orders,” and saw the memo as another opportunity to launch into one of her wingnut conspiracy theories about the media hiding the truth from the American people. She opined that the AP's journalistic standards are “not new. This is journalistic practice.” For once, Pam, you are absolutely right.
But, while many right-wing bloggers appeared unhappy with the AP's decision, the (usually) more reasonable of the conservative bloggers, HotAir's Allahpundit, was just downright confused by a media outlet's desire to maintain its integrity:
Fair enough, I guess. The building is not, in fact, at Ground Zero
[...]
[But] [s]erious question: Why would the AP or the owners of the property object to it being thought of as the “Ground Zero mosque,” or at least the Ground Zero community center?
[...]
“Ground Zero mosque” versus “mosque near Ground Zero” seems an awfully fine hair to split...
Yes, Allahpundit, why would the AP object to the term “Ground Zero mosque”?
Maybe because of egregiously false and misleading ads like this one, compliments of Geller:
Probably because of fear-mongering statements like these, too:
Respect for facts aside, perhaps the AP does not want to be embroiled in the unsubstantiated fear and confusion that this right-wing term invokes.
Yet, never ones to be shamed by facts, right-wing bloggers came up with even more fear-mongering - and downright offensive terms for the AP to use instead.
From MichelleMalkin.com's Doug Powers:
-“The Hope & Change Experience”
-“House of worship in relative proximity to where Russell Simmons believes Christians bombed the WTC"
-“Project Bloomberg”
-“Site very far from WTC crater where faulty landing gear struck a now defunct Burlington Coat Factory turned peaceful multi-faith cultural center”
-“TAI Fridays”
iOwnTheWorld.com's “BigFurHat” came up with: "THE WORLD BETRAYED CENTER"
And Doug Ross compiled a “helpful” list of the “top 15” new names for the AP to use:
15. Landing Gear Mosque
14. Project Bloomberg
13. 9/11 Victory Mosque
12. Daily Kosque
11. Caliphate-on-Hudson
10. The Gorelick & Clarke Building
9. Mosque formerly known as the Ground Zero Mosque
8. Hamosque
7. Crater's Edge
6. Bullseye
5. The Mohammed Atta Memorial
4. Hormel House
3. The Debris Field Mosque
2. Burlington Terrorist Factory
1. New York Fire Training Academy
And the right-wing noise machine plays on.