Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Brian63 · 01-30-2002, 01:33 PM

Our friends at the Christian Coalition just sent out an email trying to get people to contact their reps to de-fund NPR for airing an alleged "anti-Christian" story, that was supposedly linking the Traditional Values Coalition to the anthrax threats. I looked on the NPR website for some kind of story on that, but without luck. Anyone know anything about it?

Anyway, for kicks, I went to the website the CC links to in the email: <a href="http://www.conservativepetitions.com/petition.html?name=defund_npr" target="_blank">ConservativePetitions.com</a>. On it, there was a small mention of how Daschle and Leahy were trying to remove the phrase "so help me God" from the oath. I have not heard ANYTHING about this, and I can't imagine any of our elected officials seriously trying to do that. Anyone here heard about something to that effect?

Here is the excerpted part:

Quote:

One group who had a gripe with Daschle and Leahy is the Traditional Values, which before the attacks, had issued a press release criticizing the senators for trying to remove the phrase 'so help me God' from the oath."

Grumpy · 01-30-2002, 01:46 PM

First, as to the oath: It is traditional, but not required. Leahy says he simply "forgot" to adminster that part of the oath.

More importantly, I did hear NPR run a retraction, of sorts, on its TVC/Anthrax story. See, TVC was contacted to see if the FBI had questioned any of them about, you know, mailing the 'thrax. They said no, and the NPR story said so. TVC then wrote to NPR to protest why they were even asked such a question, or why their response was part of a story. The retraction, such as it is, was on NPR's Morning Edition when they read letters from their mailbag, including TVC's.

I didn't hear the whole anthrax story, but in my journalistic opinion the TVC should not have been included. That doesn't mean a reporter can't ask them -- though it would be a wild hunch. But you could just as easily ask your Aunt Sally if the FBI had questioned her. You would waste time in your story if you relate that Sally said, "Of course not, silly!"

hezekiah jones · 01-30-2002, 03:18 PM

Quote:

"This was a thing like Hitler did to the Jews in Germany in the late 1930s, where he created an image and a consensus that said the Jews were bad people and needed to be removed. Well, this is exactly what National Public Radio is saying about Christians. They’re saying that the Traditional Values Coalition is part of the Taliban." - Lou Sheldon

<a href="http://www.morons.org/articles.php?VOTE=2&aid=1270&SECTION_ID=2&score=4" target="_blank">morons.org</a>

abe smith · 02-04-2002, 07:07 AM

I'm not adequately informed about the matter, nationwide; but in several NE states in which I have registered to vote [at various times: ME, MASS, CONN} I made a point of making an issue of it; & found out that I did NOT have to subscribe to any religious stuff [e.g. "so help me God"} or "I solemnly swear"} in order to do the thing in qy. I'd strongly recommend to alla-yez free-thinkers that, if you ever do come up against the business, you thoughtfully & carefully TAKE ISSUE WITH IT! Surely your First Amendment rights support the "UN-UNGH!" stance. Abe

ohwilleke · 02-04-2002, 11:20 AM

"so help me God" isn't part of the oath and never has been. It has been gratuitously added as language without any basis whatsoever, and the fundies want to put it in there in the first place.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

01-30-2002, 01:46 PM	#2
Grumpy Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Alaska, USA Posts: 1,535	First, as to the oath: It is traditional, but not required. Leahy says he simply "forgot" to adminster that part of the oath. More importantly, I did hear NPR run a retraction, of sorts, on its TVC/Anthrax story. See, TVC was contacted to see if the FBI had questioned any of them about, you know, mailing the 'thrax. They said no, and the NPR story said so. TVC then wrote to NPR to protest why they were even asked such a question, or why their response was part of a story. The retraction, such as it is, was on NPR's Morning Edition when they read letters from their mailbag, including TVC's. I didn't hear the whole anthrax story, but in my journalistic opinion the TVC should not have been included. That doesn't mean a reporter can't ask them -- though it would be a wild hunch. But you could just as easily ask your Aunt Sally if the FBI had questioned her. You would waste time in your story if you relate that Sally said, "Of course not, silly!"

02-04-2002, 07:07 AM	#4
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	I'm not adequately informed about the matter, nationwide; but in several NE states in which I have registered to vote [at various times: ME, MASS, CONN} I made a point of making an issue of it; & found out that I did NOT have to subscribe to any religious stuff [e.g. "so help me God"} or "I solemnly swear"} in order to do the thing in qy. I'd strongly recommend to alla-yez free-thinkers that, if you ever do come up against the business, you thoughtfully & carefully TAKE ISSUE WITH IT! Surely your First Amendment rights support the "UN-UNGH!" stance. Abe

02-04-2002, 11:20 AM	#5
ohwilleke Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Posts: 4,834	"so help me God" isn't part of the oath and never has been. It has been gratuitously added as language without any basis whatsoever, and the fundies want to put it in there in the first place.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.