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.
