Churches Burn In Alabama - Fox Gives Slanted View That It Might Be Atheists
Reported by Donna - February 9, 2006
Nine churches have been burnt down in Alabama and Fox brings you the words of one Pastor. Yesterday on Studio B with Shepard Smith in a segment on the Alabama church burnings, he went to correspondant, Eric Liliegren ,for the story.
The statement that they put out was concise and from one pastor. The pastor uttered the word, "atheist" and Fox ran with it.
I don't know how edited the statement was but Fox found it important to get it out there. Pastor James Posey of the Star Missionary Church said, "This is not going to stop God's work. Now, you can be an atheist if you want to. You're going to find out that that is going to be to no avail. Because, God is in control."
Police and FBI have been collecting evidence such as footprints and tire tracks. What they came up with is a dark or black SUV, possibly a Nissan Pathfinder with two white men in it. This vehicle with the possible suspects has been seen at several of the church fires. Liliegren said that officials think it is local and that the motivation is hate.
Comments: Fox seems to go out of it's way to deliver a message. Like I said, I don't know if the statement was edited, but Fox managed to get the word 'atheist' out there. The pastor may or may not have said more. So, there you have it, you have the word atheist and then the word hate used as motivation.
I think I know what message they want their audience to get, but shouldn't a news service do a little more digging? Why is the word 'atheist' the only one offered in this segment? Should not the fact that the police are looking for a dark SUV with two white men in it and the fact that African American Churches are being targeted offer some other explanations as to what the motives might be? I'm no detective, but doesn't race enter into anyone's minds? At least it should be considered. CNN offered that the motivation might be race, it might be religion or it could be something else. Fox gave you their key word, atheist.
I thought I'd throw this one out to our readers, I'd like your opinions on this one. Thank you.
