Last night I really felt like I was sitting in a prison camp the size of the world, and I was merely witnessing which group of inmates was going to seize control of the cafeteria. For I watched Countdown with Keith Olbermann, an MSNBC primetime news show. And there I watched Mr. Olbermann demonstrate a frightening trend: the news is now the news.
It seems that Olbermann has a fetish for––oops, I am sorry––is having a feud with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. But I will toss the details so I can focus on the narcissism of the media: News reporters and commentators are now reporting and commenting on other reporters and commentators in a spiralling decent into the hell of ratings wars. There is something not only incestuous about this; there is something utterly deadening: we are being fed junk food for the mind that is not one bit food.
It makes me want to slit my wrists with the shards of my shattered TV.
***
Bill O'Reilly is not one of my favorites, though there are times I believe he is incredibly deft at debate (and there are others when I think he is a dolt). Last night, near the end of his show (The O'Reilly Factor), as he was wrapping up a discussion about the Catholic Church and public funding in San Francisco, he said the following after one guest mentioned that the majority of Roman Catholics in California (all two of them––dumb joke, I know), supported "gay adoption" (which is not the adoption of gay men, I believe, but orphaned children adopted by gay couples––another silly joke). O'Reilly's response, being the good Roman Catholic that he is (he reminds listeners this more than occasionally), was this (I paraphrase): I have no problem with that; I even agree with that. I think gay couples should be allowed to adopt children ...
Of course, my problem with O'Reilly has nothing to do with his opinion per se; my problem is that he describes himself as a good Catholic. That the Catholic Church is the single biggest target in the battle to secularize the world is obvious; that the Catholic Church in San Francisco (the city of Saint Francis, who was one great Catholic) is being pressured from outside forces to conform to the zeitgeist is equally obvious. But what is not so obvious is that the Catholic Church is being undermined from within its sheepfold by folks like Bill O'Reilly: people who want to democratize the Church, putting all authority in the hands of the people, even the individual.
Needless to say, if the Church continues to accept such tepid zeal for its teachings, it is doomed. As goes the Church, so goes the world.
Of course, my problem with O'Reilly has nothing to do with his opinion per se; my problem is that he describes himself as a good Catholic. That the Catholic Church is the single biggest target in the battle to secularize the world is obvious; that the Catholic Church in San Francisco (the city of Saint Francis, who was one great Catholic) is being pressured from outside forces to conform to the zeitgeist is equally obvious. But what is not so obvious is that the Catholic Church is being undermined from within its sheepfold by folks like Bill O'Reilly: people who want to democratize the Church, putting all authority in the hands of the people, even the individual.
Needless to say, if the Church continues to accept such tepid zeal for its teachings, it is doomed. As goes the Church, so goes the world.
***
In a Pew Charitable Trusts research poll reported yesterday, it was shown that acceptance of gay adoption and gay marriage has risen substantially over the past few years (for my purpose here, I will only speak superficially about the report). One might argue that the propaganda war has been successful, though I will make this challenging statement: the propaganda war is being won by the pro-gay lobby despite the fact that it has not won a single argument that establishes homosexuality as normal or morally acceptable (this statement is perhaps my strongest statement on homosexuality since I began this blog). But I will not address that here. My interest is in this––that acceptance of homosexual adoption has not budged one percentage point among African-Americans: 58% remain convinced that gay adoption is undesirable.
This portion of the poll must give activists pause. For here we have the nation's most noted minority opposing another minority's cause: American blacks have not changed their opinions since 1999: gays should not adopt children. I think the civil and political rights issues this news item suggests are wildly interesting.
Peace.
©Bill Gnade 2006/Contratimes - All Rights Reserved.
This portion of the poll must give activists pause. For here we have the nation's most noted minority opposing another minority's cause: American blacks have not changed their opinions since 1999: gays should not adopt children. I think the civil and political rights issues this news item suggests are wildly interesting.
Peace.
©Bill Gnade 2006/Contratimes - All Rights Reserved.
1 comment:
Good Blog Bill,
1. I remember once years ago going up north with friends and spending the weekend in a cabin in Northern NH. At night there were so many stars it took my breath away. In the morning there was snow on Mount Washington's peak. It was absolutely beautiful and as a city boy I was awestruck by it all. I felt small and thought that there had to be a God for surely so much could not of just happened. However, in our daily lives it is hard to find that wonder. It feels like a cell block. We live in a country that celebrates "celebrity" and where Television has become such a part of our culture (the content of non-tent, I have mentioned previously). It is no surprise that the "news" style shows are now the news; and these so called anchors are fighting for the best ratings and what percentage of share their show has. It is not about the news and informing the public, but about the self. You are correct in that we are being fed junk food and we can't get enough of this Turkish Delight.
2. Regarding Gay adoption, for me it's not that simple. It would be nice to take away all responsibility and just base my position on whatever the Church says. However, the Church is not always correct and since it is run by men who are falible, wouldn't that be dangerous. Hell, the Church has made many mistakes as history demonstrates. Martin Luther had a problem with that as well which is why we have Protestants now. Anyway, I am sure you know much more about this than I do. I no longer consider myself Catholic so I personally don't put much authority in Rome. Recently there was a baptism (dedication) of an infant in my church by a gay couple and gay godparents. I don't know if this child was adopted or the biological child of one of them by some means of insemonation. In all honesty, I found it all a bit wierd, somehow, unbalanced. I mean, get a guy up there! I don't know them but it made me think about gay couples and children. I wonder which is worse, having a child grow up in a gay home where they will be raised with love and understanding by people who care for them. Or would it be better for the child to be raised in an institution. Who will pay for the upbringing of these orphaned Children. I would think it is the role of the Church but from my experience in social services it is usually the state and not the church that takes on this responsibility. A travesty to say the least and perhaps another blog. I guess, I think, gay adoption is better than no adoption. It is "a hard knock life". I haven't processed it all through yet. Sorry if this response sounds like free association. It is.
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