Wouldn’t you think that when an organization is accused in a major American newspaper of promoting “child abuse” and even “terrorism,” that it would be given the opportunity to have its rebuttal printed in that newspaper?
Last month, an atheist leader told our local newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer, that our Creation Museum promotes “child abuse” and even “terrorism.” (We commented on this here on our site.) Many letters to the editors were submitted to the Enquirer about this atheist and his local group and their efforts to erect atheist billboards in the Cincinnati area and also their public protests in front of our museum (twice now). As is typical today, most of the letters to the editor were relegated to the on-line comment section of the paper and a few made it into the print edition.
Now, we are certainly aware that a newspaper receives several letters to the editor a day, and can only print a few of them. Our protesting letter about some very serious charges, however, did not get printed.
When our publicists enquired with the Enquirer about this, the newspaper responded by saying that posting our letter online and running a supporter's letter in the print edition was the fair way to offer balance. We strongly disagree. Our highly respected publicists (who work regularly with the world’s major media) agree with us that because our Creation Museum was attacked so maliciously in the Enquirer by the atheist leader, we should have been allotted at least 100 words in the more widely read print edition to present a rebuttal. (By the way, most of the reporters at the Enquirer who have covered the museum and Answers in Genesis over the years have done so in a fair and balanced way. Our concern here is with the paper’s editorial team and why it would not print a 100-word letter that would more publicly rebut the incredible claims of child abuse and terrorism that are allegedly being promoted at the museum.)
Here are two letters that we submitted to the Enquirer but were not used in the print edition; the first one merely ended up on the on-line edition of the Enquirer. Long-time ministry supporters in our area—who have visited the Creation Museum several times since we opened 2 ½ years ago—submitted their letter to the editor and that did get printed (see it below). But why the Creation Museum—the offended party—was not given such an opportunity is startling.
November 23
Dear Editor:
We have our critics, but the atheist quoted in Sunday's "Enquirer" tops them all. He claimed that our Creation Museum promotes "terrorism" and "child abuse."
When people's arguments lack substance, they often resort to name-calling. Sadly, such verbal attacks are common today against Christianity. The same intolerant man who uttered the words above tried to stop the museum from being built, and then protested its opening (e.g., with loud rock music in front of our gates). This summer, he held a mock communion service right outside our grounds as he blasphemed the Savior.
Meanwhile, over 900,000 guests have toured the Creation Museum since we opened 2 1/2 years ago.
Sincerely,
Mark Looy, CCO
Because the letter was not printed, we followed up with this inquiry a few days later with an email to the paper’s editors (no response as of 12/8).
November 27
Editor,
On Monday, I submitted a letter to the editor to comment on the outrageous charges made by an atheist in Sunday's “Enquirer,” that "child abuse" and "terrorism" are being promoted at our Creation Museum. Our letter was posted on-line (thank you), but it has not appeared in the more significant print edition.
Now, I am well aware that you can only print a fraction of the letters you receive and that one letter-writer came to our defense with a letter that you printed on Wednesday, but we are the aggrieved party here.
Words like "child abusers" and "terrorists" are about the cruelest labels anyone can put on a person or organization today, and yet the paper (so far) has not allowed us equal time with a letter in your print edition so that we can rebut (in only 100 words) such hurtful and inflammatory words. It could have a negative impact on museum attendance if the comments are left unchallenged (especially if Sunday's article gets a wide circulation on blogs and websites, and thus people will get a wrong impression of this family-friendly and safe museum).
I hope you will print our letter, for our reputation means everything to us. It goes without saying that nobody likes to be labeled as terrorists or child abusers, which atheists are increasingly and carelessly lobbing at opponents like us nowadays (and who are in effect diluting the meaning of these words, when actual terrorism remains a very real worry for Americans and child abuse continues to be a blight on society).
Regards,
Mark
Here is the letter from museum backers that was printed by the Enquirer:
Regarding the article “‘Sinners’ gather at atheist meeting” (Nov. 22): The speaker at an atheist group meeting remarkably declared that the Creation Museum promotes “child abuse” and “terrorism”! Our family of nine has visited many times and, on the contrary, it is a wholesome family-friendly place. This atheist group has the words “free inquiry” in its name. But here is the incredible hypocrisy: this group led an effort to stop the museum from being built!
The museum was to be constructed on private property with private donations but this intolerant group fought hard (unsuccessfully) to stop it. Why are they so afraid of a museum that presents a different view of life’s origins, prompting these supposed “free thinkers” to be censors?
—Pat Moran, Crittenden, KY
Keep up-to-date with the ongoing efforts by atheists and other humanists to combat biblical Christianity, and learn how the media report on the Creation Museum, by visiting this website regularly (including Ken Ham’s blog).
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/12/11/incredible-charges