Ignorance Versus Enlightenment

Ignorance Versus Enlightenment
by Linda A. Prussen-Razzano

On December 6, 1999, in a rally protesting Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s program dealing with the homeless, Reverend Al Sharpton sharply criticized a member of the Human Resources Administration: "If Jason Turner had come into the barn that night," Sharpton said, "he would have said to the baby Jesus: 'You have been born to two unwedded parents. They don't have an address. They don't have a job. We have to take you in custody and arrest your parents.'"1

For a man reportedly well versed in Biblical studies, this is a sad testament, indeed. For those not familiar with the Biblical account of Christ’s birth, allow me to highlight just how many times Reverend Sharpton butchered scripture:

Mary was a virgin at the time of Jesus’ conception; however, she was Joseph’s wife at the time of Jesus’ birth. There were not "unwedded."
Mary and Joseph were not "homeless." They had a home in Nazareth. They were traveling to Bethlehem, Joseph’s city of birth, for the census and to pay taxes.
Joseph most certainly had a "job." He was a carpenter, as was Jesus after him.
Because of a glut of travelers to the city, there were no rooms available at any of the Inns, but Joseph still had the means to provide for a room. That is the only reason Christ was born in a "barn."

Of course, these important doctrinal points are conveniently overlooked. The media, happy to shove a microphone in Sharpton’s face, will listen to anything this man has to say; political prostitution and bastardizing the Bible in a self-aggrandizing quest to slander a foe are treated as serious news. Moreover, the homeless, who have been conspicuously absent from the media’s radar for the last several years, are conveniently re-emerging in time for the upcoming elections.

Let us compare this adoration to the media’s equally peculiar treatment of black presidential candidate Alan Keyes. According to the Vote.com and CNN.com polls taken immediately after the recent Republican presidential debates, the majority of voters (ranging from 49% to 61%) overwhelmingly declared Dr. Keyes the winner. In stark contrast to these numbers, the mainstream media’s mention of Dr. Keyes remained a passing one; he was typically relegated to a mere footnote in the line-up.

They did not overlook him completely. Rather, they seized on his "Massa" comment in referring to our current tax structure. For several years, Dr. Keyes has insisted that the income tax is a "slave" tax and has used this analogy to make his point. What they failed to report is his desire to eliminate the 16th Amendment because, based on Constitutional principle, it violates Americans’ rights and gives the government a pre-emptive claim on our hard-earned dollars. Unlike Reverend Sharpton, Dr. Keyes understands his subject matter. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution specifically delineates how Congress can raise taxes to fund its Constitutionally delineated responsibilities... income taxes is not one of them.

They dismiss his Pro-Life position, even though "life," along with liberty and the pursuit of happiness, is one of the foundation principles listed in the Declaration of Independence. They smirk at his suggestion to end America’s involvement in the WTO and United Nations because they violate Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution. They laugh at his belief that the Constitution is not the source of our rights, it only enumerates them; our rights are naturally inherent and stem from a power higher than mankind and any Government derived therefrom.

Dr. Keyes is considered an unelectable kook and an extremist radical because he firmly believes in the Declaration of Independence and a Constitutional form of government. Reverend Sharpton is considered a "leader" even though he spouts blatantly gross inaccuracies and has embraced a race-baiter like Louis Farrakhan.

Keyes was right. The media is biased against him. If he uttered disgusting racial epithets, such as calling Jews "skunks," or decried the dominant "Anglo" culture, they would be tripping over themselves to shove a microphone in his face.

1. The New York Times, "1,000 in Park Denounce Giuliani on Homeless Arrest Policy," David M. Herszenhorn, December 6, 1999.