Forked Tongues

Pathetic Journalism

       I would like to emphatically and effectively call to attention the extremely poor, incompetent, discriminating, prejudiced, one-sided, lopsided view and pathetic journalism of the propaganda sheet called the …...  The difference between fanatical propaganda (as Hitler’s henchmen practiced) and authentic journalism is the degree of objectivity employed in the subject matter. I will present a concrete example of what I am talking about:

     In the November 2006 issue, the reporter in question (whether it is the editor herself or another is unknown) asked Arcuri and Meiers what their position on abortion was. In question 18, she asked: “What is your position on abortion and a woman’s right to choose to have one?” To begin with, the question is a subtle, unilateral and loaded one. If she had simply asked: “what is your position on abortion?” it would have been fine and good. When she includes, however, the phrase “...and a woman’s right to choose and have one...” she is implicitly saying: “I, the editor of this paper believe in abortion, and you had better believe in it too, unless you want to risk the possibility of denying and challenging a woman’s right to abortion.”  One can read between the lines that this is a subtle, false, manipulative and aggressive way to try to impress and convince the candidate to promote and defend abortion. In this case, the reporter is not interested in the true view of the candidate, but in having him maintain the present legislation. This is pure and blatant propaganda and biased defense of baby murder.

     A true, competent and professional journalist would have asked the following:

“What is your position on abortion? What is your position and argument on the cliché so often used by pro-abortionists of a women’s right-to-choose to defend their views?  What is your position and argument on the anti-abortionists’ motto of right-to-life and responsible paternity and maternity? What is your position on the unborn baby’s right-to-life and the recent scientific medical and scientific discoveries in regards to his development?” True and competent journalism presents all sides and aspects of a question and never one biased view. We are speaking of journalism and not personal views and propaganda.

Father Anthony Mellace