With so much talk about how religious figures are impacting the election, one wonders where the media has been for the past 30 years? Obama denounces an ego-maniacal minister, the Texas polygamy scandal involving teen girls in a fringe LDS sect may impact Mitt Romney's slim chance at the GOP veep-stakes, with the Rev. Wright story getting nearly a month of non-stop coverage. Finally someone in mainstream media asked about the impact of far-right wing nuts like the Reverends Robertson, Falwell and Hagee. E.J. Dionne was polite in saying, "Now the question is whether we will be just as tough on false prophets who happen to be white and right-wing." Can you imagine the hue and cry from "oppressed fundamentalists" if the media focused on all the exclusionary, hate-filled, anti-democratic and un-Christian things these and other far-right preachers have said and done? With truly "fair and balanced" reporting, we might actually understand the wisdom of our founding documents and why separation of church and state is, and always should be, a cherished American value.
