In his new blog over at TNR, Gregg Easterbrook argues that the media is showing its anti-Christian bias by covering Alabama's "crackpot judge with the Ten Commandments statue" while virtually ignoring Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's religiously-inspired proposal to exempt those making less than $17,000 from state income taxes.
Why does the crackpot judge get 24-7 coverage when the noble governor gets almost none? Because the snarling judge and his intolerant followers show Christianity in a bad light; by granting them attention, the media make Christianity look bad. Gov. Riley's crusade to help the poor shows Christianity at its luminous best. Therefore the media ignore Riley.
Of course. How could I have missed it? Especially given the way the press normally buries sexy, hot-button stories like the Ten Commandments controversy and goes instead with wall-to-wall coverage of small, well-intentioned anti-poverty initiatives. What in the hell was I thinking? It's a conspiracy, I tell you! A conspiracy!
Posted by Jack O'Toole on September 8, 2003 08:19 PM