Journalism for Fundamentalists 101

We love to read alternative newspapers here at ODP Watch and one caught our attention as we emerged from our local library branch here in Columbus. It's a political paper for Christians(forget the Judeo crap)called Citizen USA. Sounds like a Stallone movie, but we digress.

They seem to love Ken Blackwell even though they know he's going to lose which is odd. They don't seem to know what to do about Ted Strickland as he's been a minister and all. On page 2A they relate the story of "Ted's Truth Truck", a big panel truck with pictures of dead fetuses on the side for all to see. Ted's Truth Truck is the project of Christians for Social Justice, LLC and the group also states that "Ted Strickland supports homosexual unions". On page 3A there is a cartoon starring Bill Clinton which attempts to copy the style of Pat Oliphant and is wildly successful if you factor in the lack of any humor, wit or irony. Luckily for us this cartoon shows none of the above.

Also on page 3A we have a column by Coach Dave Daubenmire of Pass the Salt Ministry where he makes a convoluted argument about the establishment clause. He states that "evolution and creationism are both theories"... Oh really? Evolution has been established with years of data and peer review while creationism refuses to be peer reviewed at all. That makes one a scientific theory and the other a half-baked idea without merit. An idea is not a "theory" Dave, and it's about time you learned the difference.

Throw in an editorial rant warning of the dangers of Islamic Fundamentalism (how ironic) and a movie review of Jesus Camp and you have what they call "Newspaper Of The Year" but we don't actually get to see who gave them that testimonial. Perhaps they gave it to themselves. Either way we're sure you'll find this wing-nut newspaper a fun read as did we. Visit their website at Citizen USA and tell 'em that ODP Watch sent you. We're sure they won't mind.

The GOP's Southern strategy of even more blatant race baiting

We noticed that the RNC has descended to race baiting once again even after Ken Mehlman and the Republican National Committee promised the NAACP last year that Republican efforts to use race as a wedge issue -- on matters such as desegregation and busing to appeal to white southern voters was "wrong". But they're at it again with another ad, this time with an attractive white woman imploring Harold Ford to call her in a sexy whisper. Shades of Blazing Saddles...where's da white women! And that's exactly the message the RNC was trying to sear into the minds of the segregationist sympathisers who will no doubt be scared out of their wits that this handsome African-American gentleman will be on a mission to ravish and impregnate every white woman he can get his hands on.

We find this odd considering that Ken Mehlman is gay. Doesn't anyone find it odd that he would be so vociferious in race and gay baiting while being the head of a party that hates gay people and continues to encourage the forces that still hate African-Americans? Isn't this like being a vegetarian butcher or a Jewish member of Hitler's SS? One has to wonder...