The Day the Free Press Committed Suicide

National Catholic Register ^ | March 22, 2006 | Mark Shea

[NYer]

There are certain moments when some popular idea or movement so thoroughly discredits itself that, though it continues to lumber along like a decapitated giant, it’s only a matter of time before it crashes to the ground, never to rise again.

One such moment occurred during the recent fracas over the Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam. Christians, of course, have long been used to the fact that their most sacred beliefs are treated to casual contempt in the mainstream media.

Any morning for the past 20 years, a Christian could expect to turn on the tube or open the paper and be regaled with at least a snide comment directed at his beliefs, if not the glories of a crucifix immersed in a vat of urine or an image of the Blessed Virgin covered in dung. Organs like The New York Times have been only too happy to keep us up to date on these latest cutting-edge developments in blasphemy.

And, naturally, Christian complaints have been simultaneously disregarded as the petty bleats of small-minded censors and as the ominous rumbles of an incipient theocratic regime that is just about to impose martial law and crush the free press.

This way, journalists could not only bully voiceless Christians who do not have access to the editorial pages of The Times, but also pat themselves on the back for their raw courage as they pound on the beliefs of quiet, decent people who grieve when their crucified Lord is subjected to further abuse.

All these journalists had to do was intone words about the sacredness of our free press and they were off the hook.Then came the “cartoon jihad,” when real theocrats who really do want to impose Islamic law on the whole world, crush the free press and shout (as one Islamic protester so eloquently summed up his beliefs), “Freedom, go to hell!” The response of the champions of the free press in the editorial rooms of The New York Times, (and Washington Post Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, among others) was to discover tact and taste.

They would not publish the Danish cartoons because of a sudden and exquisite sensitivity to the religious sensibilities of their readers.

Uh huh.

Get real.

The Boston Phoenix summed up the real reason for this miraculous attack of religious sensitivity (http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid3588.aspx):

“There are three reasons not to publish the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed with his turban styled as a bomb and the other images that have sparked violent protests and deaths throughout Europe, the Middle East, West Asia, and Indonesia:“1) Out of fear of retaliation from the international brotherhood of radical and bloodthirsty Islamists who seek to impose their will on those who do not believe as they do. This is, frankly, our primary reason for not publishing any of the images in question.Simply stated, we are being terrorized, and as deeply as we believe in the principles of free speech and a free press, we could not in good conscience place the men and women who work at the Phoenix and its related companies in physical jeopardy. As we feel forced, literally, to bend to maniacal pressure, this may be the darkest moment in our 40-year publishing history.”

To be sure, there are good arguments for not running the cartoons. The main one is the one the Vatican pointed to: It’s rude to insult people’s deepest beliefs needlessly.

But if, like the mainstream media, you are going to paint yourself as the valiant defenders of “the people’s right to know” and the “paladins of free speech” every time you de-pants a Christian, then for heaven’s sake at least have the courage of your convictions. If the mainstream media had a consistent policy of simply not pulling the noses of religious believers, I would not arraign them for their rank cowardice.

But the reality, as we all know now, is that their long habit of ignorant, cowardly bullying of Christians is rooted in the fact that they know Christians will seldom fight back with violence since their Lord has forbidden them to do so. But that same media, which portrays its bullying of Christians as “courage in the face of theocrats” is now on record as curling up in a cowardly little ball when we really need it to do the work of defending free speech in the face of thin-skinned bullies from the Bronze Age.

So to the mainstream media I say: If you must pull the noses of believers, then have the courage of your alleged principles and oppose radical Islam.

Otherwise, shut up about being the “guardians of free speech,” for your courage is a permanently exposed as a fraud and we can henceforth declare with confidence that the real reason you bully Christians and cringe before radical Islamic thugs is simple: The Vatican does not issue fatwas.

[NYer]

Mark Shea is senior content editor
for CatholicExchange.com.

[NYer]

Any morning for the past 20 years, a Christian could expect to turn on the tube or open the paper and be regaled with at least a snide comment directed at his beliefs, if not the glories of a crucifix immersed in a vat of urine or an image of the Blessed Virgin covered in dung.

Crucifix submerged in Serrano's own urine

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

If this does not infuriate christians, what will?

[big'ol_freeper]

Ping

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

But if . . . you are going to paint yourself as the valiant defenders of “the people’s right to know” and the “paladins of free speech” every time you de-pants a Christian,

from now on there is a price. Publish those Danish cartoons first.

[reflecting]

Well said! Bump

[attiladhun2]

So to the mainstream media I say: If you must pull the noses of believers, then have the courage of your alleged principles and oppose radical Islam.
Every year at Easter and Christmas the MSM has articles from some liberal theologian or "Jesus" seminar showing how Jesus did not actually do this or that or the Gospels weren't written by the Apostles, or how Jesus was actually married to Mary Magdalene, etc. How come at Ramadan they never impune the vercity of Islam or attack the character of Muhammed? Reason: The MSM is composed of smarta$$ gutless bullies who cringe like the little girlie men they are when the wrath of the Muzzies is aroused by some slight or other. No lower or more disgusting bunch of bottom-feeders has not existed than the pundits who infest the Lamestream Press. They backpeddle when they are caught in a lie, they employ the most obvious double standards in their insipid reporting, and they mouth each other's expressions, which shows they have the creativity of garden slugs. So if one pundit calls GW a "frat boy" or doubts his "gavitas" the whole bunch of these phony idiots begin using the same expressions. They really don't realize how they are beginning to look more and more like irrelevant boobs to a majority of the public. Good only for a laugh or to see how the liberal idiots of this country are currently thinking.

[RKBA Democrat]

An excellent article. I think this quote is a keeper:

"Otherwise, shut up about being the “guardians of free speech,” for your courage is a permanently exposed as a fraud and we can henceforth declare with confidence that the real reason you bully Christians and cringe before radical Islamic thugs is simple: The Vatican does not issue fatwas."

[dennisw]

truth!!!!

[Antoninus]

Rank media cowardice bump.

The Boston Phoenix, despite their cowardice, is at least honest. Unlike their more high-brow brethren who are cowards and lie about it.

[utahagen]

I sincerely give the Boston Phoenix credit for being honest about why they won't run the Danish cartoons: because they're being "terrorized". This candor is a step in the right direction regarding getting people to stop denying that many Muslims are violent and bloodthirsty.

[utahagen]

At least the Boston Phoenix was honest in admitting that it was fear of retaliation that kept them from running the Danish cartoons. Many papers are hiding behind some vague and transparently hypocritical "we don't like to offend peoples' religion" stuff.

[Leatherneck_MT]

I'm sure it does infuriate them. But Jesus while on that cross implored of the Father.

"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

I know we are not Christ. But he set the example with his life and his death.

We should strive to do likewise.

[klossg]

Mark Shea can lay down the truth, can't he! All your comments were beautiful.

At our best, we Christians love, even when love is not the "natural" response. Pray for the media and those lost in its false power.