[Eugene Volokh, May 24, 2006 at 5:41pm] Trackbacks
National Post Apologizes for the Iranian-Jews-Required-to-Wear-Identifying-Markers Story:

See this Reuters report. "It is now clear the story is not true .... We apologize for the mistake and for the consternation it has caused not just National Post readers, but the broader public who read the story."

I also regret having passed along what proved to be an incorrect claim. I flagged my uncertainty in the original post, but I'd much prefer to have not quoted what proves to be a false story, than to have quoted it even with a not-sure-whether-this-is-right disclaimer.

Related Posts (on one page):

  1. National Post Apologizes for the Iranian-Jews-Required-to-Wear-Identifying-Markers Story:
  2. Jewish Member of Iranian Parliament:
  3. More on Iranian Dress Code?
  4. Iran Requiring Badges for Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians?
MG:
Professor,
Thank you very much for putting up this particular post, when you could have let it pass. It is very big of you, honestly, and says alot to me anyway, on how you handle and honest error. Too many folks are too proud to admit error and it says less of them. Thanks for setting a good example.
Take care,
MG
5.24.2006 6:57pm
MG:
"an error" not "and"
(sorry)
5.24.2006 6:58pm
Nobody (mail):

"an error" not "and"
(sorry)



MG,
Thank you very much for putting up this particular post, when you could have let it pass. It is very big of you, honestly, and says alot to me anyway, on how you handle and honest error. Too many folks are too proud to admit error and it says less of them. Thanks for setting a good example.
Take care,
Nobody ;)
5.24.2006 7:15pm
MG:

Not sure if that is sarcasm or not, but you know what Nobody -- someday you will make an error too!!! (no really)

Whether it's a potentially off-putting one, like repeating a rumor before it is confirmed, or a quick typo that admittedly could have been caught by a quick editing, someday you too will be there.

I think you can judge a lot about a person by how they respond after making a mistake, and heaven knows, I do believe in accepting apologies and moving on. Call me a tool.
5.24.2006 8:21pm
M. Simon (mail) (www):
It is possible that in time Iran will adopt this custom in a modified form.

Only Muslisms will be allowed/required to follow the new dress codes.

Christians, Jews, etc. may not be allowed to dress like muslims.

So this may turn out somewhat more subtle than the gold star or yellow ribbon to the same effect.

The gold star/yellow belt bit may have been put out so that when the law goes into effect people will say - "well, that is not so bad."

We will have to see how the new law works out.
5.24.2006 11:54pm
Hamilton Lovecraft (mail):

"I also regret having passed along what proved to be an incorrect claim. I flagged my uncertainty in the original post, but I'd much prefer to have not quoted what proves to be a false story, than to have quoted it even with a not-sure-whether-this-is-right disclaimer"


If you'd rather not quote what proves to be a false story, maybe you should consider fact-checking, like I hear journalists are supposed to do.
5.25.2006 2:37am
Jimmy (mail):
Maybe if this was a news site and not a web log, and he was publishing it as *his* story - it would make sense for the good Professor to fact-check the story. As it stands, he DID preface the story with his suspicion, and even apologized later once it proved false.

And I didn't know he was a journalist too! What does this blog pay you, Professor?? :-)

At any rate, when I come to read a blog, I am never assured of its veracity unless there is supporting evidence. That is the basis of free-thinking - being able to take all rumor and fact and decide which is important and formative to an event or situation. And the retraction proves his intellectual honesty that I respect about this site.
5.25.2006 3:29pm