Blaming the messenger

Let me say up front, I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or Fox News. But to blame them for the assassination of the abortion doctor or the act of terrorism at the Holocaust Museum in Washington is misguided. That is in fact what Joan Walsh of Salon and Paul Krugman of the New York Times have done.

First of all there is zero evidence that these two heinous acts were committed because of what they may have heard on the air. The 88 year old white supremacist James von Brunn's sick views were formed long before Limbaugh, Beck, et al were born. Like wise the Klan and the Nazis certainly pre-date hate talk radio and TV.

Conversely, should the media be given credit because we are a far more tolerant society when it comes to race, gender and sexual preference? Probably not.

My belief is that media is more a reflection of what's going on in society rather than an instigator.