Monday, March 21, 2005

How Bad Can "Badly" Be?

The New York Times fails the test of semantic sensitivity again and again.

Its report on the budget vote woes in Israel of Ariel Sharon and Shimon Peres
("Peres Says Budget Fight May Imperil Coalition" on Mar. 21) notes that Sharon's party, the Likud, "is badly split over Gaza"

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/21/international/middleeast/21mideast.html?

The use of the adjective "badly" is perjorative and biased.

Many would think that the split is a good development and will halt an unwise decision that endangers the security of Israeli civilians and contribute to an illegal act of banning Jews from living in a portion of their national homeland. Indeed, the majority of the Likud Knesset faction opposes the proposed budget due to their disagreement over the disengagement plan.

"The Likud is split" is enough of a description it would seem.

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