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After one brief palate-cleansing look at decent stories on the same-sex marriage issue, we can now return to the mainstream media’s attack on defenders of traditional marriage. At this point, I’m not sure how inadvertent the biased stories are.
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.
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:
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:
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.
Tim Russert, moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, died yesterday at the age of 58. The news shook the media establishment. Sunday morning’s Meet the Press is basically required viewing in Washington. Russert always had Washington’s most powerful guests and they routinely subjected themselves to his probing. I particularly liked that he would remind guests of past statements that contradicted their current positions. He helpfully displayed those statements on screen to force the guest to respond. Media figures are rarely loved by so many across the political establishment. Russert was generally regarded as fair and decent, two traits that are not typically the first to come to mind when describing the average newsman.
Back in 2005, Thomas Herrion, an offensive guard for the 49ers, collapsed and died after a pre-season game. His casket was draped not in a baptismal pall but in a blanket with his team logo. I always thought that this sad story reflected the bizarre confluence of religion and football. Of course, I come from a place where people paint their houses orange and blue.
So the Rev. Michael Pfleger, last seen mocking Sen. Hillary Clinton from the pulpit of Barack Obama’s church, will be back at his parish by June 16. He was told to take a couple of weeks off from St. Sabina’s to reflect on Catholic rules regarding priests and politics. Those couple of weeks up, he’s been told he can go back.
Associated Press writer Angela Delli Santi wrote a story about a Muslim student’s lawsuit against his public high school:
