TV networks and other mainstream news sources hardly ever mention that Democrats embroiled in sex scandals are Democrats, but they always, emphatically identify the party affiliation of Republicans that get into such trouble.
Journalism
William F. Buckley and the Modern American Right
William F. Buckley, author, columnist, TV talk show host, and founding editor of National Review magazine, died today at age 82. Buckley was one of the people most responsible for making the conservative movement a powerful force in the United States during the past six decades. Especially through his influential magazine, Buckley set the agenda for the American right and made it appealing to a mass audience. His editorial approach and political philosophy combined to create an ecumenism on the right that allowed the various factions to work together, although the relationships have always been strained to some degree. However, his stolid opposition to statism in all of its forms provided a rallying cry for the American right and continues to do so.
The Violent Hypocrisy of Mainstream Film Critics
American film critics detest violent movies—unless there’s an antisocial message involved. TAC correspondent Mike D’Virgilio looks at critical reactions to violence in movies.
Bobby Knight Retires – Unlamented by Weenies
The winningest coach in college basketball history, Bobby Knight, retired unexpectedly yesterday with several games remaining in the season. Knight, known both for his coaching brilliance and angry, public and private tirades, has long been a big target of criticism from sportswriters. A large part of that criticism is well-earned, for Knight has always been thoroughly uncompromising in his insistence that his teams play the game the way it should be played and that others involved in the game reach similar standards, and he often manifested it in childish behavior, verbal aggression, and physical violence.
Jacobson’s Back, Protesters Unsatisfied
ESPN2 morning co-anchor Dana Jacobson is back at work after a week’s suspension for her drunken, foul-mouthed tirade at a public dinner. At the beginning of the Jan. 28 program, the first since her suspension, Jacobson offered a rather cryptic apology: I want to once again say how truly sorry I am for my poor choices and bad judgment that night. I’ve taken responsibility for what I did say and do that night. What’s cryptic about it, of course, is the phrase "what I did say and do". Certainly no one should expect her to apologize for anything she did not do, so the use of the word ‘did’ is redundant and indeed confusing. Evidently her intent was to imply that she did not say the most offensive thing attributed to her: "F— Jesus!" Yet neither Jacobson nor her ESPN bosses has denied that she said it. Hence the use of the word ‘did’ is obviously intentional dissembling.
Mike Potemra on the Jacobson Case and the Proliferation of Outrage
National Review Literary Editor Mike Potemra expands on the thoughts quoted yesterday on this site, in an article on today’s National Review Online. I think that Mike’s point is a good one—that there is a better way to react to offensive speech than exaggerated outrage and calls for revenge. The better way is for us to press for what I call a free culture, as noted in my article on this site yesterday. Christianity is in fact the great foundation of individual freedom in the West, and as Mike points out, it’s incumbent upon Christians to use this opportunity to press for a free culture that will benefit both Christians and others.
Dana Jacobson and Reliable Journalism
Chicago Sun-Times writer Greg Crouch asks in his column today whether ESPN personality Dana Jacobson really did say the offensive words attributed to her that resulted in a one-week suspension. (See story below.) That’s a good question. Crouch points out that the original report of Jacobson specifically saying "F— Jesus" came from a blog and has not been confirmed by a particular eyewitness at the event, Scott Cronick of the Press of Atlantic City, whom Couch asked about it yesterday. Cronick said that he does not believe she said "F— Jesus." Couch’s point is that mainstream journalists should not quote information from blogs because bloggers are not responsible journalists and not reliable news sources. Real journalists—which Couch appears to define as people working for corporate newspapers, magazines, TV shows, radio stations, and websites—check their facts and are "reliable." If I ever see any responsible journalism in the mainstream media, I’ll check on that contention.
Christ-Hater Skates,Thanks to Elite Prejudice Against Christians
Providing further proof that America’s elites are delighted when people of low mental ability use Christians and Christianity as punching bags, ESPN has suspended sports-show anchor Dana Jacobson for one week after she indulged in a drunken, foul-mouthed public tirade that included an astonishingly vulgar curse directed at Jesus Christ. The one-week suspension is very revealing of the mentality of the management team at the Disney-owned sports network, given that the same behavior would have gotten anyone not in the media fired, and it would have gotten a media person fired had it been delivered against an accredited victim group—cf. the termination of radio host Don Imus and basketball commentator Tim Hardaway last year.
The Reality of Islam
One of the greatest difficulties in the West’s confrontation with Islam in the past decade has been our failure to recognize the true nature of Islam. This is a direct consequence of our failure to recognize the true nature of our own civilization, and the great good that is inherent in it.
An Anti-Christian Movie Criticism
I haven’t seen The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie, so of course I have no opinion on whether it is any good, but I found a fascinating assumption in Lou Lumenick’s review of the film in the New York Post. Lumenick suggests that a work reflecting Christian values must necessarily be bad. In an outline of what’s wrong with the film, Lumenick states the following: The CGI animation is crude, the humor is cruder, and the plot is Christian-friendly. Proceed at your own risk. My advice to all, including non-Christians: when reading reviews in the New York Post, proceed at your own risk.
The Real William F. Buckley
Joseph Sobran, a former senior editor at National Review, observes in a recent column that William F. Buckley, founder of that magazine, is ill with emphysema. I am very sorry to hear of Mr. Buckley’s illness, and want to commend to you Mr. Sobran’s column for its very revealing description of the man behind the public image. Please read it here. We welcome your comments on this giant of the modern political right.
E! Puts Prayers in Scare Quotes
Here’s a good indicator of how the mainstream media look at the religion the great majority of Americans hold. The headline writer for E! News felt constrained to put the word prayers in scare quotes in the headline of a story on actor Dennis Quaid: Quaid Seeks "Prayers" for Ailing Babies The article reported on a grave illness facing the newborn twin children of Quaid and his wife, and noted that the actor’s representative had sent the following statement to E! News: "Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and hope they can maintain their privacy at this difficult time."
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