If we didn’t require one to get to church, my husband and I might not own a car. And we’ve been really happy about not having to fill up the tank much as gas prices climb higher and higher.
Unholy gas prices
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Russert didn't just preach diversity
While the unofficial state funeral of Tim Russert continues, the wall-to-wall media coverage has calmed down a bit. Frankly, I’m still in shock.
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Gay rights vs. religious freedom
Yesterday, I wrote a post noting how the mainstream media were following to a tee the media plan of same-sex advocates. I asked for stories that broke the mold. A few readers obliged, sending along a story written and broadcast by National Public Radio’s Barbara Bradley Hagerty. It’s beautifully written and crafted and really enlightens readers and listeners about the tensions involved in legal battles over gay issues. Here’s how the story is framed:
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Kiss pic or no kiss pic?
Our friends over at the diversity and ethics offices at Poynter.org have run a really interesting commentary on a media issue at the heart of debates about fair and accurate coverage of same-sex marriage.
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An old anti-Catholic device
A reporter writes about a controversial cultural issue such as contraception or abortion. Opponents are identified by their religious denomination. Supporters are not. The lesson for readers is plain: opponents are motivated by religious zeal, while supporters are motivated by humanitarianism and sweet reason.
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Obama on fatherhood and family
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s speech on Father’s Day about the importance of fatherhood is drawing praise from some surprising quarters that the day-after stories struggled to pick-up on. The New York Times rightly focused on the impact the speech had on the African-American community, but this speech is having effects in other communities as well.
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Holy matrimony from Cana to California
Of the many stories dealing with same-sex marriage in California, one San Francisco Chronicle story in particular deserves a look. Headlined “Bay Area churches opened door to same-sex vows,” the reporter skims the surface of the history of same-sex rites in Christian churches and managed to get the attention of more than a few GetReligion readers in the process:
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Gavin Newsom's triumph
Same sex marriages will be performed in California beginning on Tuesday. In fact, some will take place tonight. And the media are pretty giddy about it. What’s happening is very important and very historic, so the amount of coverage is proper. Less proper is the complete lack of balance in stories this past week.
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Indy fails to cover its backyard
I was pleasantly surprised last Monday morning to see in my morning newspaper a story of significant length on the Southern Baptist’s convention, held this week across the street from where I work. Indianapolis gets all sorts of conventions, from Gen Con to the National FFA. The newspaper does a reasonable job covering them, but some fall through the cracks.
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