By James Wilson
When multiple California newspapers report on the court battle over AB 775 they lie by omitting and distorting facts. They say the state law mandates providing accurate information to pregnant women about contraception and abortion. But the state has unlimited resources at its disposal for this purpose. AB 775 in fact requires pregnancy care centers – whose cause and faith is life – to encourage clients to seek abortions at taxpayer expense. This law compels speech; it defies state and federal constitutions. Integrity in media requires the truth that care centers are being compelled to act as agents of the state in violation of their constitutional rights. Even the judge acknowledged this as she ruled against the centers; this too went unreported. People of California need to compel integrity in our sources of information.
Courts decide against the Catholic school that fired a food services employee when it learned he was in a homosexual marriage. The court says his constitutionally absent right to work trumps the free exercise of faith claim of the school. What media fail to report is the man lied on his application for employment regarding his domestic status. That alone is grounds for termination; holding it back is more evidence of media dishonesty.
Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz is roasted by the Washington Post and the Canberra (Australia) Times for claiming rapes rose in Australia following implementation of anti-gun legislation. The papers accuse Cruz of fudging facts because – they say – there was no dramatic spike in rapes after banning firearms. But the truth – which even the papers acknowledged – is that rape has enjoyed a steady rise in Australia. Media simply put words in Cruz’ mouth he never uttered and castigated him with the truth he actually spoke.
Some would say these are examples of the media reporting facts and confining analysis to editorial pages, as they should. But reality is when facts are omitted or spun – as they are in these cases – it is the facts themselves that suffer. We are entitled to expect a little integrity from those who want to supply us with information.
The Right does it too. I recently read an article lambasting Barack Obama for spying on Israel. Our president and his regime have stabbed Israel in the back on numberless occasions, but it is just as true that Israel spies on us – and has been caught at it. Truth is truth and we are all obligated to it.
Pundits love to opine about the demise of print versus electronic media. They cite instantaneous quality of internet and social media alongside egalitarian access to the new platforms. Reality is – though these media are as thick with inaccuracies and fabrications as print press – people think them more reliable. But equal access is real; there are so many voices in the new media it is possible to listen to enough of them – and sift what is heard – to triangulate on something true.
Yet smorgasbord information is not itself the answer. The authentic alternative is a public requiring recognizable truth, and willing to do its homework to secure it. It is a movement within media of re-dedication to letting the truth stand for itself. It is corporate rejection of the notion what we believe true is served by distortion of facts in its favor.
That answer is furthered by re-commited digging to the roots of a story. Perhaps the coverage of AB 775 wasn’t deliberately falsified. Maybe the writer accepted at face value what she was told by the law’s enforcers. But if that is journalistic integrity we need no reporters; the latest press release from the government will do.
El Nino and California’s drought are the next opportunity for journalists to rise or sink. Last Fall secular science predicted high rainfall for California from the returning El Nino – a warm water current periodically off the California coast. They ruled out significant snowfall, the most important factor in relieving the worst drought in state history. As predicted, rainfall is overwhelming, but snow levels are also wonderfully plentiful throughout California’s mountains. So far the media has conveniently forgotten the no-snow prediction for El Nino – never mind thanking a God Who intervenes to bless people when they pray (2 Chronicles 7:13-14) – as we did for a year-plus prior to the Trifecta of Repentance last September.
We acknowledge the drought is far from over; as people of faith we credit God’s mercy and grace for so-far-relief. My question? Will media show real integrity here? Will people of faith continue to pray and repent to God (Matthew 5:33-37) – and confront media (Matthew 10:26-27) – over simple integrity?
James A. Wilson is the author of Living As Ambassadors of Relationships and The Holy Spirit and the End Times, and Kingdom in Pursuit – available at local bookstores or by e-mailing him at praynorthstate@charter.net
