<p>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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even understanding the liberal media&rsquo;s obsessive bias, I was surprised &ndash; actually shocked &ndash; 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&rsquo;s broadcast. ; MSNBC and Morning Joe were celebrating their tenth anniversary on the air &ndash; recalling those days when they were somewhat more objective. ; FOX was more typical of what one might expect on Christmas Day &ndash; more positive stories of human interest and what the season is all about.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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 &ldquo;2017 worst of Rachel Maddow.&rdquo; ; It is the custom to wrap fish in old newspapers because fish and old news both tend to stink as time goes by.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then there was Father Edward Beck representing Catholic Christianity &ndash; 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 &ndash; just as he has done little to influence the holocaust we call the Middle East, and especially the attacks on his &ldquo;sheep.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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&rsquo;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 &ndash; that requires telling the truth &ndash; 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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you think that &ldquo;lie&rdquo; is too strong of an accusation, then consider the fact that the very liberal <em>Washington Post</em> gave four Pinocchio&rsquo;s (defined as a &ldquo;whopper&rsquo;) 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 &ndash; placing his political views ahead of his religious obligations.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course, the rest of CNN&rsquo;s and MSNBC&rsquo;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 &ndash; something their liberal base usually disdains and dismisses &ndash; was hypocritical, offensive and dishonest &ndash; and yes, it got me a bit worked up.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p> ;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> ;</p>