Political correctness or apathy regarding the fate of Jews facing another Holocaust or something prevents the New York Times from reporting on Iranian Shiite genocidal extremism. Yet they have not shown similar sensisitivity regarding Christians and Jews, whose doctrines are routinely mischaracterized and attacked.
As well noted, the Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Science Monitor all have reported that Iranian President Ahmadinejad has apocalyptic yearnings and believes nuclear war might very well bring the return of the missing 12th Imam so important to Shiite Islam.
The New York Times has remained completely silent on this issue (as if nuclear war were not an important issue, let's say compared to Valerie Plame). Some might be lead to believe that the Times considers commentary on religion as outside their bailiwick and that they are reluctant to attack religious beliefs of others. Not true, for the Times has had room and space to delve into, and criticize, the religious beliefs of Christians and Jews.
For instance, the New York Times remains ever alert to the "dangers' of Christianity—as shown by their coverage of the "intelligent design issue" and various reports on the rise of the Christian right in America. Similarly, they have found time and space to disparage followers of Orthodox Judaism as people who have a "fear and loathing of sex" and to claim that Orthodox women are treated as "little more than babymaking machines."
The Times has space to alert readers to the "dangers' of the beliefs of some Christians and has space to insult some Jews by mischaracterizing their religious tenets. Yet had NO space to report on the genocidal dangers inherent in the religious beliefs of an Iranian leader who is developing nuclear weapons and who has called for the destruction of Israel. Don't want to offend those Muslims....
Ed Lasky 12 22 05
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