Journalistic Responsibility

For those of you who do not know, John King confronted Newt Gingrich during the January 19th debate in South Carolina about what his former wife said about an "open marriage." John is a divorced man, according to reports, with a hostile relationship with his ex-wife. Perhaps we should trot out his ex-wife and see what she has to say?

I do not point this out the eviscerate John King, but to point out Journalistic responsibility according to John Paul II:

"In the communications media the Church finds a precious aid for spreading the Gospel and religious values, for promoting dialogue, ecumenical and inter-religious cooperation, and also for defending those solid principles which are indispensable for building a society which respects the dignity of the human person and is attentive to the common good" (John Paul II, The Rapid Development of Those Responsible for Social Communications).

I am a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and have done job interviews regularly. One thing we do not ask is someone's marital status. In fact, this is illegal discrimination according to law. I do not care about what a candidates ex-wives say. Many divorcees are bitter about the divorce. We accept that.

Apart from an employment contract, all a human resources professional is supposed to care about is: "Are you qualified for the position to which you are applying?" Nothing else. Not your religion, race, marital status, hateful comments by your ex-wife or anything else. The Presidential Race is a big job interview.

Maybe our criteria, being a people of repentance, should be the Sacrament of Reconciliation and attempts to live a holy life. Too often, our Jerry Springer culture takes over and we forget the image of God in our fellow human beings.  Let us pray for everyone, and give them the respect they are due, even to Barrack Obama, or a repentant candidate who is doing the best he can:

Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes concupiscence, violence, and injustice to reign among them. Sins give rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to the divine goodness. "Structures of sin" are the expression and effect of personal sins. They lead their victims to do evil in their turn. In an analogous sense, they constitute a "social sin" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1869).

However, there is hope:

The redemption won by Christ consists in this, that he came "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt 20:28), that is, he "loved his own to the end" (Jn 13:1), so that they might be "ransomed from the futile ways inherited from their fathers" (1 Pt 1:18). (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 622)

Let us choose the best candidate for the job, not give credence to salacious comments by a possibly embittered ex-wife. May Christ Reign!