The FaithWalkers Daily -- Dec. 17: Media Botches Newtown Tragedy, Egypt Falls To Radical Islam, Clinton Dodges Benghazi Testimony

The FaithWalker’s Daily is a quick review of key news stories of the day from the perspective of a conservative Christ-follower living in, but not of, the world.

Outrageous Media Coverage of Newtown Tragedy Provokes Call for Gun Control

The Basics —

The national media botched much of the coverage of the horrible tragedy in Newtown in their rush to get ratings. Their continued practice of publicizing the shooter’s face and info, trampling on the victim’s families, and framing the story with a left-wing bias is an all-too-familiar pattern in these tragic situations.

Dig Deeper:

Via USNews/NBC, the media got much wrong including claiming that the shooter’s mother was a teacher at the school and that he had somehow slipped past security instead of shooting his way through as he actually did.
Via Hugh Hewitt via the Washington Examiner: Is the media complicit in such tragedies? “Ratings requires all and forgives all.”
Via the Daily Mail from China: For those calling for gun control, I suppose knife control will be next?
Via USNews/NBC, “unbiased” media calls two handguns and a rifle an “extraordinary amount of weaponry.”
Via the AP, stories of how teachers across the nation will deal with questions about the shooting today. Key graph from an American history teacher at Westglades Middle School in Parkland, Fla.: “Cantlupe said he will tell his students that his No. 1 job is to keep them safe, and that like the teachers in Connecticut, he would do anything to make sure they stay out of harm’s way.”
Does anyone else find it odd that a grassroots gun-control group just happened to be ready to launch in Newtown within 48 hours of the tragedy?

A Few Thoughts…

The American history (note the irony) teacher in the above story has unwittingly put his finger on a serious problem. His desire to protect the students is limited by his ability to do so. As more information comes to light, it become clear that the only thing that could have stopped this disturbed individual’s use of force was the equal use of force. A Biblical understanding of human nature requires us to come to terms with the reality of evil in this fallen world. The problem is that sinful people sometimes — even often? — do horrible, horrible things. No laws can change that. We are called to rescue the innocent from destruction, especially when it comes to children who have a special place of protection, according to Christ Himself. Maybe if we stopped painting targets on our schools and public places as “gun-free” zones and equipped those serving to defend the children, deranged shooters would think twice.

“The evil that men do lives after them. “ 24/7 media exposure doesn’t help.

Egypt Approves Muslim Brotherhood Constitution in Spite of Protests

The Basics —

The first referendum on the hastily-drafted Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Constitution passed with only 57% support in the districts that voted. Only 1/3 of the eligible voters cast ballots for the radical Constitution that would promote sharia law and limit the rights of minorities, including Christians.

Dig Deeper:

Via Reuters, a good summary of the situation.
Via Kareem Fahim and Mayy El Sheikh at the NY Times: More detail on why only a 1/3 cast ballots.
Via Hugh Hewitt: “The awful slaughter in Newtown has of course absorbed the attention of America, but when they look up they will likely find that Egypt has been lost for generations to hard-line Islamists via a ‘constitution’ that empowers Sharia and slices the rights of the Copts and secularists to bits.”

A Few Thoughts…

Compare the lengthy process our own US Constitution endured to ensure all voices were heard and had the approval of the people with what has happened in Egypt in the space of just a handful of weeks. In less than a month, Mursi has seized power, declared the courts irrelevant, and forced a new constitution that permanently secures power for his radical Islamic agenda. And all without so much as a whimper from the US. Who would have thought after 9/11 that radical Islam could make such a public grab for power in the Middle East and be met with no resistance from the US? Without consensus in Egypt — or in any government– there will be no unity. Without unity there will be only tension and potentially violence and persecution of Christians for generations to come.

There’s a reason we call them fools, those who rush in.

Secretary of State Clinton Will Not Testify to Congress on Benghazi

The Basics —

Sec. of State Clinton was scheduled to testify to the Senate Foreign Relation Committee on Dec. 20. However, after being troubled by a stomach virus, falling and suffering a mild concussion, she has been advised by doctors to stay home for a while and rest.

Dig Deeper:

Via the AP: The story which notes her “grueling” travel schedule.
Via CNN October 16: Clinton says, “I take responsibility.”
Via The Cable: Incoming Secretary of State Kerry agrees that it is in the best interest of the country that Clinton feel better and not testify.
Report due out today from the State Department as to what went wrong in Benghazi. Keep in mind this is an internal report from the department responsible for what went wrong in the first place.

A Few Thoughts…

Sunshine is the best antidote for the appearance of falsehoods. If, in fact, there is little or nothing to hide regarding Benghazi, the best interests of the country would be served by giving Sec. Clinton the time to recover and then having her testify. Dodging her duty to answer to the American people only lends credence to those claiming that the Obama administration has something to hide. A US ambassador and three other Americans are dead, brutally so. A US embassy (consulate or whatever we choose to call it) was deliberately attacked on the anniversary of 9/11. And ample evidence suggests that the White House and Clinton knew about the attack at various points but failed to act. They then blamed it all on a YouTube video when they knew no such connection existed.