Don’t follow the Indianapolis Star
For years subscriptions to American print newspapers have declined. This decline has been attributed to the rise of the Internet and social media, where people get their news from multiple sources cheaply and conveniently. Certainly, this is part of the reason. But it might not be the whole story. The Catholic Wise Guy submits his experience for consideration.
I’ve subscribed to the Indianapolis Star for over 30 years. As the Internet and social media developed, I utilized their resources, especially for national news. But the Star remained my source for local news, sports, and weather. The Wise Guy is a sports fan and loved the sports section of the Star. Some days he devoured it as if it were Word of the Lord, which is a type of sacrilege.
But the world turned in 2015. The Supreme Court uncovered a right to gay marriage in the Constitution and issued Obergefell vs. Hodges. Millions across the United States celebrated but traditional Christians like the Catholic Wise Guy did not. We wondered how we would live and practice our faith in the world of Obergefell, one more nail in the coffin of Christian America, one more chapel in the Pagan Temple of America.
The state came to the rescue of worried Christian Hoosiers. The Indiana legislature passed, and Governor Mike Pence signed, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was based on the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. The Indiana bill had no effect on gay marriage but provided safe spaces for Christians and others to practice their faith. Intended as a reasonable compromise, it was greeted by national outrage. The Star unleashed a torrent of hysterical articles, which overwhelmed the floodgates of journalistic impartiality and reason
Canceling his subscription, the Wise Guy became Wiser and stopped following the Star.
He has fasted from the Star for years, hoping the Lord appreciated his sacrifice. Except for an occasional purchase of the Sunday edition, which included the added benefit of a weekly TV section, his penitential abstinence has been spotless. But overcome by concupiscence, he recently purchased the Star one Sunday after church when stopping for gas. Eating lunch at home he excitedly opened the newspaper and began reading. He was shocked. The Star had descended further into a journalistic hellhole. Here are a few headlines with excerpts from articles along with comments by the CWG. The background is that after the demise of Roe v. Wade, the Indiana Senate passed a bill making Indiana a sanctuary state for the unborn.
“Abortion in Indiana – Bernard has ‘a warrior mentality’ How doctor became a voice of abortion rights.” Dr. Caitlin Bernard advocates for abortion and has performed abortions herself. She is the doctor who claims to have aborted the baby of a 10-year-old who became pregnant by rape, a case that gained national attention in our post Roe world. The Wise Guy, a veteran, wonders what kind of ‘warrior mentality’ is needed to snuff out the life of the unborn.
“Hated abortion bill gets just enough love from Indiana Senate.” If the bill is so hated, how did it pass the Senate?
“Indiana abortion bill goes to the house – Approval will make it one of the first new laws since Roe ruling.” Here’s the first paragraph of this article, “Over the protests of most doctors, every major medical association, thousands of women that descended on that Statehouse this week and 10 of its own members, Republicans in the Indiana Senate narrowly voted Saturday to ban nearly all abortions in the state.” Typical advocacy journalism.
Headline on a different topic – “7 local spaces made for LGBTQ+.” Showing its commitment to diversity, the Star covers another base of the sexual revolution with its article on self-described “queer people.” Here’s a quote: “Indianapolis businesses that cater directly to the LGBTQ+ community provide performance opportunities for artists, such as drag performers and DJs…Gay bars and restaurants are important because, in establishments without queer people in mind, they may feel out of place or even be harassed…” The article goes on to describe seven queer-friendly establishments downtown. The Wise Guy supports free enterprise for all, queer and non-queer alike, but wonders whether the Star ever covers Christian bars, or MAGA bars. These two groups also experience discrimination.
Be a Wise Guy and don’t follow the Star.
From the editorial page – “Don’t repeat religious freedom act’s mistakes on abortion.” Written by two professors from the University of Notre Dame, sometimes considered a Catholic university, the editorial begins by referring to the 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, calling it, “…one of the most grossly incompetent and unsuccessful policy debacles in the state’s history.” Commenting on the abortion debate in the Indiana legislature, the authors write, “Now history may repeat itself as legislation curtailing health care rights, specifically abortion care, was introduced in a special legislative session. If abortion restrictions pass, Indiana will become an anti-freedom, forced-birth state.” The editorial continues, using the term “pregnant people” to refer to pregnant women.
From Letters to the editor. “Puritanical views transport Hoosiers back to the 17th century.” Here’s a quote from the letter. “Puritanism is still very much alive in the Christian far right…They want to enforce an uncompromising moral code that opposes abortion under any circumstances, outlaws homosexuality and gay marriage…”
Be a Wise Guy and don’t follow the Star.
Scouring this Sunday edition of his newspaper, the Wise Guy does not find a single pro-life article, nor one kind word for the unborn. The Indiana Senate represents the will of some people of Indiana, and the Star did not offer one sentence explaining why the people of Indiana might support such legislation. The lack of intellectual curiosity and journalistic integrity is stunning, absolutely stunning. Without intellectual curiosity you will always follow false stars.
The Star’s lack of journalistic Integrity and Impartiality is obvious. But here’s another thought. What about the Bottom Line? Don’t the owners and managers of the Star think about the bottom line? Aren’t they supposed to make money, show net income on their financial statements? Assuming they are concerned about the bottom line – and not just their Woke Creds at the next cocktail party – the Wise Guy asks: Can’t you see it hurts your bottom line if you alienate half your potential readers with your Woke journalism? Don’t you understand a significant percentage of your potential subscribers are older and conservative? If your marketing department fails to acknowledge that, fire them and hire a new bunch.
Often American companies are accused of concentrating too much on their bottom line and not enough on the good of society. In the case of the Star, more bottom-line thinking is needed.
Be a Wise Guy and don’t follow the Star.
One last note. On the top center of the front page of The Star it says in small print “2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner.” Either the Wise Guy or the Pulitzer Prize committee is deficient in judging good journalism.
You decide.