Even on Christmas morning, I kept to my habit of catching up on all the news as the early shows started their day at around 5:00 a.m. I was expecting to see a break from that contentious reports that have characterized so-called news for the past year. After all, it was Christmas Day.
Even understanding the liberal media’s obsessive bias, I was surprised – actually shocked – at the continuation of the strident one-sided political reporting. CNN was conducting a year in review approach that might have been more appropriate for a New Year’s broadcast. MSNBC and Morning Joe were celebrating their tenth anniversary on the air – recalling those days when they were somewhat more objective. FOX was more typical of what one might expect on Christmas Day – more positive stories of human interest and what the season is all about.
Rather than regurgitate the repetitious news of the past year, MSNBC decided to actually re-run the old broadcasts, essentially giving viewers what can only be described as the “2017 worst of Rachel Maddow.” It is the custom to wrap fish in old newspapers because fish and old news both tend to stink as time goes by.
One report on CNN stood out. It both disappointed and angered me at the same time. CNN selected a panel of clergy to talk about the meaning of the holiday. A nice idea conceptually. Angela Buckdahl, the first Asian rabbi in North America, gave a general call for goodwill with only innuendoes of displeasure with President Trump and the new administration policies. Muslim Imam Feisai Abdul Rauf, of Cordoba House, gave the most typical message of love and unity, essentially saying that our unity is more important than our diversity.
Then there was Father Edward Beck representing Catholic Christianity – one of those paid CNN contributors. He said that Christmas represents Christ bringing lightness to the dark elements in the world. Beck began going off the rails when he talked about Pope Francis bringing light to the oppressed Muslims of Miramar. In fact, the Pope said nothing in support of the endangered Muslim minority during his trip and not much after. By most accounts, the Pope squandered his powerful pulpit by making no serious attempt to influence the situation in that Asian nation – just as he has done little to influence the holocaust we call the Middle East, and especially the attacks on his “sheep.”
Beck then described the new tax law as a darkness that benefits the wealthy while causing greater suffering for the poor. While it is my habit to refrain from vulgar expression, I must say that Father Beck’s comments were pure political bullsh*t. Not only did the good Father shamefully politicize his Christmas message, he was totally wrong factually. He surrendered his theology – that requires telling the truth – to express a debunked political viewpoint that is basically a lie. He was nothing more than another of those parroting panelists who adhere to the preconceived talking points regardless of the facts.
If you think that “lie” is too strong of an accusation, then consider the fact that the very liberal Washington Post gave four Pinocchio’s (defined as a “whopper’) to Democrats who claim that the lower and middle classes were not getting financial benefit from the new tax law. Father Beck was doing his own version of Pinocchio – placing his political views ahead of his religious obligations.
Of course, the rest of CNN’s and MSNBC’s look at the year in review sounded a lot like the same nothing new news stories that they have been regurgitating every day for the past year. The attempt by CNN to put the imprimatur of religion – something their liberal base usually disdains and dismisses – was hypocritical, offensive and dishonest – and yes, it got me a bit worked up.
I am writing on this subject on Christmas morning, which was not in my heart to do until I saw how the elitist eastern press was handling this holy holiday of love and goodwill. Have they lost all human decency along with their long lost objectivity?
I shall now return to my personal celebration of this wonderful holiday. By the time you read this, I will have fully re-embraced the true spirit of this wonderful holiday. I hope you had, too.