Imagine, if you will, that Roe v. Wade had never been
decided by the Supreme Court. Abortion policy thus is set by all 50
sovereign American states. Wisconsin’s newly elected Democratic
governor and legislature have just passed modest and incremental
reforms that will make abortion more widespread.
As a result, thousands of Christian Right protesters have
descended upon the state capitol building in Madison to protest
what they believe is a gross travesty of justice. Some of the
Christian Right protesters carry signs and placards that depict
Wisconsin Democrat Gov. Scott Walker as Adolph Hitler.
Pretend, too, that the media is predominantly conservative and
thus routinely reporting about that this new legislation will
“strip the unborn of basic civil rights” and “limit civil rights
protection for unborn children.”
Also, right-wing filmmaker and provocateur James O’Keefe has
come to Madison and given a series of speeches and media interviews
in which he’s denounced Walker and the Wisconsin Democrat
legislature.
“Really, this is a war,” O’Keefe told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“This is a religious war that’s been leveled against Bible
believing Christians in this country.”
And finally, a Republican Congressman — Rep. Michele Bachmann
from Minnesota — told a pro-life crowd protesting the Wisconsin
legislation that she’s proud of them:
“I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more
than just sending an email to get you going,” she said. “Every once
and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little
bloody when necessary.”
Does anyone doubt that, given the facts as I just described
them, there’d be a mass media firestorm warning of the dangers of
the “radical religious right”?
Why, the media would be beside itself! They’d be warning about
incitements to violence, the danger of the mob, and the importance
of separating church and state.
Yet tellingly, the facts as I describe them are
exactly what has happened in Wisconsin today; but the issues
and personalities — and, most importantly, the political sides —
are completely different.
At issue is not abortion, but collective bargaining by public
employees unions. And James O’Keefe is really Michael Moore, Rep.
Michele Bachmann is Rep. Michele Capuano (D-MA.), and Fox’s Sean
Hannity is the real-word Rachel Maddow.
So, not surprisingly, the media are reporting this story very
differently: they are mostly silent and mum. There’s no outrage or
concern.
And of course, in their choice of language — collective
bargaining “rights” — they’ve
implicitly sided with the public employees unions. Would the
media ever side with pro-life advocates? Please, be serious.
In short, Wisconsin reveals, yet again, that liberal media bias
is real; and that it really distorts the news. Don’t let anyone
tell you otherwise.
