Bravely Running Away

[Grimmy]

http://drsanity.blogspot.com/

Thursday, February 09, 2006

BRAVELY RUNNING AWAY

The Anchoress creates a playlet in honor of the "courage" of the New York Times in deciding to illustrate a report on the so-called Cartoon Wars with an image which is offensive to some with religious sensibilities.

The courageous editors selected the portrait of the Virgin Mary painted with elephant dung to demonstrate their dedication to truth, justice, and free speech.

Did I mention how brave they were?

Meanwhile, at Real Clear Politics, Thomas Lifson takes the "antique" media to task:
Perhaps it is time we re-evaluated Charlie Chaplin’s famous movie The Great Dictator, which mercilessly and insensitively mocked Adolf Hitler. At the time of its theatrical release in 1940, millions of Germans worshipped Der Fuhrer with religious passion, and the United States enjoyed peaceful, if strained relations with Germany. The pain which many Nazis must have felt at seeing their beloved leader denigrated and made to look ridiculous must have been searing.

If sensitivity to the spiritual feelings of believers in great leaders were the real criterion by which media gatekeepers decided what to publish and broadcast, then Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ would never have been seen, and universal media condemnation would have greeted the theatrical release of The Last Temptation of Christ.

Let’s be honest about the current sudden new respect the antique media exhibit toward religion.

It is physical intimidation which is at the heart of the media’s new-found principle of tender sensitivity to the feelings of certain religious believers. The assassination of Theo Van Gogh sent a message loud and clear to everyone contemplating a critical look at Islam or Muhammad. For all their brave talk of speaking truth to power, most people in the media with established careers, families, and lives will sacrifice principle to save themselves from possible harm or death.

If our brave media really believed in "speaking truth to power" they would be out there on the front lines of the cartoon jihad telling the radical islamists where they can stick their feigned outrage.

But real working motto of the MSM is "speaking truth to power when it is safe and politically correct". ...

*** full article at link posted above