The Public Broadcasting Service recently announced it will not allow new religious programming on their taxpayer-subsidized airwaves. The handful of stations that have shown a Catholic Mass or Mormon devotions will be allowed to continue, but the other 300-plus stations have been instructed to avoid any kind of evangelism.
Welcome to Barack Obama’s new world order.
News reports explained that the PBS station services committee insisted on applying a 1985 rule that all PBS shows must be "noncommercial, nonpartisan and nonsectarian."
To everyone who’s watched a pledge drive or contemplated a toy store stuffed with "Sesame Street" toys, the idea that PBS is following any "noncommercial" policy is absurd.
To everyone who’s watched two minutes of "Bill Moyers Journal," with its panels unanimously screaming for Bush’s impeachment, or more recently, for a single-payer socialist health-care system, the idea of PBS being devoted to a "nonpartisan" stance is several miles removed from ridiculous.
But the atheists and secularists who want all traces of sectarian "proselytizing" for Jesus banned from PBS do have something to say about PBS public-affairs programming. "Nova" creates a special to shred the authenticity of the Bible, and PBS doesn’t think to assemble a committee to evaluate it. PBS stations air tax-subsidized documentaries celebrating lesbian-feminist choirs, "transgender" riots, and a liberal teenager fighting against abstinence education, and nobody inside "public" broadcasting wonders whether they’re guilty of doing the very "proselytizing" they condemn.
As part of its wave of secular fundamentalism, PBS celebrates even late-term abortionists with a fanaticism that would curl the hair of any pro-lifer. On June 12, the PBS show "Now" (formerly with Bill Moyers) devoted most of its half-hour to smearing the pro-life movement as a vicious band of terrorists. They hailed two men who abort babies into the ninth month, Dr. Warren Hern of Colorado and Dr. Leroy Carhart of Nebraska. Reporter Maria Hinojosa briefly noted at one point that pro-life groups issued press releases denouncing Dr. Tiller’s murder. But those words were lies, claimed the abortionists.
Carhart attacked. "They may claim innocence and they may technically, under the law, be innocent, but their heart was certainly with Scott Roeder on the day that he shot Dr. Tiller."
Hern echoed: "The anti-abortion organizations, you know, making these statements of distress and disapproval. No, no, no, no, no. This is what they wanted to happen. And it happened."
Oppose abortion, even very late in pregnancy, and PBS is clear. You are a terrorist.
Let’s go back to Hern. "This is a terrorist movement. And they instill fear in people," he said. "This is not an abortion debate. There's no debate. This is a civil war. The anti-abortion people are using bombs and bullets. And they've been doing this for 30 years."
"Now" host David Brancaccio began the program with a topic sentence: was Tiller’s murder terrorism, and did it succeed? Hinojosa asked Hern: "Do you say they've won? They've been successful?" Hern whacked that softball question silly: "Of course, they won. But this is the consequence of this kind of violence and terrorism. Terrorism works....The message from the anti-abortion movement is, ‘Do what we tell you to do, or we will kill you.’ And they do."
On MSNBC, Hern uncorked this slur: "The main difference between the American anti-abortion movement and the Taliban is about 8,000 miles." For this, he is hailed on our taxpayer-funded airwaves as a feminist hero, a very brave provider of services for desperate women.
Where was the air time for the pro-lifers? Hinojosa granted a few seconds to Randall Terry -- in the familiar soundbite declaring the pro-life movement didn’t cause Tiller’s death, but Tiller was a mass murderer. PBS also aired a series of Bill O’Reilly segments where he referred to "Tiller the Baby Killer." Hinojosa again set up Hern, this time to denounce O’Reilly as an accessory to murder: "It's offensive, it's vulgar, it's grotesque, it’s fascist speech that's designed to get Dr. Tiller killed, and it worked."
Despite the noxious theme that describing abortion as the death of a baby enables terrorism, no one – not Terry, not O’Reilly, not a single professional in the pro-life movement – was granted the courtesy of an interview by PBS.
This story has a very disturbing ending. Ken Bode, hired by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as an ombudsman or viewer’s advocate, lauded the show as "strong and convincing on this point: radical, anti-abortion opponents, including Bill O’Reilly of Fox News, are guilty of promoting domestic terrorism." Bode even said "Now" has established itself for reporting "within the boundaries of fairness and balance mandated by PBS standards."
That only underlines that there are no standards for balance at PBS on the issues religious Americans care about. There’s only a standard of malice.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
it's not for the children
June 23, 2009 - 10:16 ET by RousseAnd if you think the adult programming is unbalanced, you should listen to a week's worth of children's programming. It will make you break out in a cold sweat.
Non-commercial???? <Chris
June 23, 2009 - 10:20 ET by motherbeltNon-commercial????
<Chris Matthews imitation> HAH!
Nevermind what's in the stores...how about their announcements that "This program is made possible (Nice how they don't say "brought to you by" isn't it?) by a grant from...."
That's an advertisement for that corporation, I don't care how they slice it.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Only the beginning
June 23, 2009 - 10:21 ET by CentaurWell-written article; it was very eye-opening. It made me think about something I read today about the spread of international law, and the passage of a UN treaty which would threaten our sovereignty - in effect, all program stations could be required to be as "nonsectarian" as PBS. You can read more here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-un-un-childrens-rights,0,2989807.story
At one point in the article (near the end), it says that Republicans "have put forward a measure that has gained limited support but is aimed at blocking such a treaty." Well, I did some research, and discovered that this measure, HJ Res. 42, has 101 co-sponsors, and has gained almost 40 in the past 3 months. Limited support? I think not. Sectarian programming? I think so.
"I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch, Badger, as it is your's to remember." -- Glenstorm
The UN has been trying to
June 23, 2009 - 10:54 ET by motherbeltThe UN has been trying to implement this since 1989...that's how patient and persistent they are!
For mor info on this, including the things they don't want everyone to know about it, see here here and here.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
It is way past time to
June 23, 2009 - 10:23 ET by Hoosier DaddyIt is way past time to defund both the Pubic Broadcast System and National Pubic Radio. Write to your senators and congressmen today!
PBS = Propaganda Broadcast System
June 23, 2009 - 10:36 ET by lotrThey call this a public broadcast system?
Sorry, but the death of Tiller was not terrorism. A specific man was targeted and executed for a specific reason. This is called an assassination. There is a difference. The killer did not enter a clinic with a bombed strapped to himself, indiscriminately killing all in the vicinity.
"Let's wrap him up, alright?" -- Keith Olbermann
I think even calling it an
June 23, 2009 - 10:53 ET by SickofLibsI think even calling it an "assassination" elevates Tiller.
It was simply a murder, just like your garden-variety Law & Order episode.
true, but
June 23, 2009 - 14:49 ET by lotrThat's only because the term "assassination" has taken on a connotation that someone good is killed by evil forces (thus taking on another connotation of conspiracy) opposed to his good work (i.e., martyrdom). But if you look to the actual meaning, the term really only refers to the murder of a public figure, usually for a political reason.
"Let's wrap him up, alright?" -- Keith Olbermann
I prefer....
June 23, 2009 - 10:55 ET by Prester John...People's Broadcasting System, and of course it's radio brother in arms, National People's Radio.
Write to PBS
June 23, 2009 - 10:47 ET by moderncommentaries83Write to PBS.
Go here and send them a polite e-mail telling them you will not support a station that refuses to acknowledge the religious beliefs of viewers.
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
Conservative Litmus Test
June 23, 2009 - 10:50 ET by JustAlAny politician who claims to be a conservative and does not try to end public funding of these frauds is a lier (sorry if using the terms "politician" and "lier" in the same sentence is redundant).
We all know....
June 23, 2009 - 10:53 ET by Prester John....how objective and fair Bill Moyers is.
Lord have mercy.
PBS
June 23, 2009 - 10:54 ET by BuzzyPBS couldn't make it on its own. That is why they need the government for support. It's the same thing for NPR. Neither could be competive without the Democratic Party and taxpayers support.
Notice how I have seperated the DNC from taxpayers because we all know Demo's don't pay taxes or have so much money they don't care, but most of the liberals I know live on the margins of socitey and really don't report their income. Free love and a Doctor's shot is their moto.
PBS
June 23, 2009 - 11:00 ET by jessieHjessieH Hey, all you fellow terrorists, don't forget the rallies coming up on the 4th of July! ( I think WE should call it the PATRIOT PARTY, instead of a TEA party)
Religion on PBS
June 23, 2009 - 11:08 ET by slickwillie2001I have no problem with keeping religion off of PBS/NPR, because it's only a matter of time before our liberal-PC-drones flood them with islamic programming in the name of diversity, and we should do all we can to prevent the spread of that odious cult.
Please tell me your not
June 23, 2009 - 12:07 ET by moderncommentaries83Please tell me your not naive enough to think a ban on religious programming actually means a ban on anything other than Christianity.
Because that's always, ultimately, what these things boil down to. Not banning religion, but Christianity.
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
I'm more inclined to think
June 23, 2009 - 12:37 ET by misterbee241I'm more inclined to think it will be secular atheistic programming. But I dont watch PBS anyway, I just fund it.
"I dont need to read a newspaper to know the world's been shaved by a drunken barber."
Walter Brennan, The Colonel, Meet John Doe, 1941
PBS are government...
June 23, 2009 - 11:26 ET by sam12663....whores. They are now and always will be a far left liberal operation. They are the biggest money grubbing television entity out there. PBS is the original democrat party shill machine, the predecessor to MSNBC.
President Obama is nothing more than a lying empty suit; a Hollywood style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
Right about one thing...
June 23, 2009 - 12:36 ET by misterbee241Hern is right about one thing - there is no abortion debate. The SCOTUS and the media settled that one 36 years ago. Debate has been shut down in this country. You disagree with the current liberal politically correct line and you are a terrorist, a little Hitler (we've allowed far more children to pass through the fire of abortion than Hitler ever thought of), hateful and mean spirited.
This says it all:
It is our seed we are destroying.
But we have to stand for something, dont we? And I'll make my stand with life.
"I dont need to read a newspaper to know the world's been shaved by a drunken barber."
Walter Brennan, The Colonel, Meet John Doe, 1941
Will PBS ban Christmas concerts this December?
June 23, 2009 - 13:22 ET by nkviking75In December Iowa Public Television, a network which serves the whole state, runs a lot of Christmas concerts from colleges all over Iowa and the midwest. Much of the music is openly religious because many of the colleges featured are church colleges. I wonder if that has to go away as well. Not only would people be "protected" from Christian-oriented messages, but they'd be deprived of much of the musical foundation of Western music. These concerts feature Christmas music that is also classical music.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Weren't You The One Who Reffered To Him In Death As "Monster"?
June 23, 2009 - 23:28 ET by The7SticksJesus, you guys fall for these traps faster than a one-eyed cat peeping in a seafood store. Why are you letting Randall Terry and Bill O'Reilly act as the spokespeople for the pro-life movement? You didn't choose them, the MSM did, and you've fallen right into their trap. If you want to repair your movement, I suggest using some creative thinking where you can gain the sympathy of the public from the pro-abortion movement (And I am fully aware of the irony that a pro-abortion person like me is giving advice to pro-lifers, but I prefer that you should hear the truth about such things.)
First of all, you need to stop calling on Bill O'Reilly to defend your side because he has already proven himself to be a loose canon based off of the first person description of going Waco inside a competing TV news studio in one of the fiction books he's written (I forget which one, but I digress.) He hasn't gotten off of this issue, and in a rather reckless move for his part, he let Ann Coulter yap about Tiller being "terminated in the 219th trimester or something". Most people are going to be offended by rhetoric like that. And Randall Terry has already proven himself to be a manipulator of the truth on one of your own websites (On CNSNews.com, he interviewed some prominent Catholic bishop, and according to the bishop, Terry distorted some of his conversation with the bishop to justify his position.)
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you have to push away the sociopaths and the manipulators that have hijacked your movement and return to a sensible dialogue. You could make a good start by appealing for taxpayer money to fund crisis pregnancy centers and divert it away from taxpayer-funded pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. You could win on this issue because there is evidence that the cleanliness of abortion clinics are sub-par to that of crisis pregnancy centers.
Second, you need to fully denounce murders, like Dr. Tiller's, and not add an interjection like "but" or "however" and say something behind his cold, dead back. Murder is murder, and politically motivated murder is called terrorism. Call it what it is. Michael Medved has called it that, and he's a sensible pro-lifer.
Of all the things we can worry about, this is the most trivial one of all. Dissidents of the fascist-regime of Iran are being murdered on camera, and this is all you can worry about? Pathetic.
And P.S.: No, they aren't going to censor some Christmas pageant because there's no so-called "War On Chrstmas" Just read a little into it, and you'll see why.
-"At the end of the day, one shall stand, one shall fall."
-Optimus Prime, old Autobot proverb
A few things, Sticky.
June 23, 2009 - 23:57 ET by Mike Bratton1) Starting your remarks by taking God's name in vain doesn't make your writings any more winsome.
2) No one is "letting" either Terry or O'Reilly become a spokesperson for the pro-life movement. If you'll review Mr. Bozell's column, the PBS reporter plucked quotes from them instead of having actual, legitimate, in-person rebuttal to the nonsense coming from the Pro-abortion Broadcasting System.
3) Your advice is hardly truth, since facts are always better than shallow emotional responses. Playing for sympathy is insubstantial.
4) What the pro-life movement does need to do is better articulate the facts, so that those who are emotionally swayed by pro-abortion propaganda can come to an informed, mature realization that (as you so adroitly put it) "murder is murder," even when the victim hasn't quite yet been born. Murder is always wrong.
5) Roeder murdered, by all accounts, one person. Roeder was wrong--no if, ands, buts, or howevers.
6) Tiller murdered, by his own count, roughly 60,000 children. Would you, Sticky, like to agree that Tiller's murders were wrong--with no ifs, ands, buts, or howevers?
7) And here's little tidbit for you, on the off chance you might be a history buff: There's been a "War on Christmas" since the very first one.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport...
...As to your tag-line
June 24, 2009 - 00:50 ET by bigtimer...As to your tag-line 7S....
The one who falls is you and your ilk.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
the fight for liberty
June 24, 2009 - 04:13 ET by sudmufI see no difference between Scott Roeder and John Brown.