Fox News Promotes Children’s Religious Book By Conservative Christian Author
Reported by Priscilla - March 1, 2010 -
The America of Fox News is a conservative Christian nation and Fox does its best to showcase topics of interest to conservative Christians. Fox & Friends provided a Christian perspective to its coverage of the Rifqa Bary story. Bill O’Reilly rails against atheists. Sean Hannity, as News Hounds Ellen pointed out, played the fear of atheists card in his baseless attack on President Obama’s supposed antipathy towards Christians. But the aforementioned are Fox opinionators (don’t know if that’s a word but feel free to use it) as opposed to Martha MacCallum of America’s Newsroom which is supposed to be a news show. Today, Ms. MacCallum brought us a “special treat” which was her interview of the author of a parent’s guidebook on how to teach children to pray. Now that sounds innocuous enough; but in examining Martha’s comments, the chyron used, and the background of the author, it appears that, if not promoting Christianity, Fox “News” was promoting a very conservative, Christian author whose social views are right in synch with the religious right. Coincidence? I’ll let you decide.
Today, Martha MacCallum began her segment by saying that this book about prayer is something that parents and grandparents will “want to check out.” She added that this is a book for people of all religions. While she spoke, the chyron read “Children’s Book Encourages Prayer For All Faiths.” She introduced Anthony DeStefano who is the author of the children’s book and another religious book. He then discussed the importance of prayer which, again, seemed appropriate.
Comment: Not noted by Martha MacCallum is that Anthony DeStefano is vice chairman of the board of “Priests for Life” an anti-choice group which seeks to outlaw abortion. His children’s prayer book is praised by Father Frank Pavone, Director of “Priests For Life” in addition to James Dobson and numerous other conservative Christians who praise the book in terms related to Christianity. The book, with schlocky 50's style illustrations, has won an endorsement from Dobson’s “National Day of Prayer” – a group connected to the conservative, capitalist, secretive “Family.” (Mark Sanford and John Ensign are members) So is this really a book for kids of all faiths? And why didn’t MacCallum mention DeStefano’s conservative bona fides? Is this just an innocent promotion of a religious book – or is Fox just promoting one of their own, so to speak?
