Breaking News: League censored by Maine Newspaper
By Mike Hein
Sep 22, 2006, 16:07
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| Mike Hein |
League Executive Director Mike Heath isn't too happy as he wraps up his work
week. "I hate it when a free press isn't free," Heath said commenting
on an email debate he is having with the editor of the Camden Herald,
David Grima.
Grima wrote a 1000 word column attacking the so-called "Religous Right" entitled "Faith is Politics." In the column he publishes the claim of author Randall Balmer that Falwell is hiding the genuine origins of his moral majority. He also writes that the religious right is cynically milking people "of their votes and money."
Heath decided on Friday morning to pen a response to Grima's attack. He emailed the editor to ask for equal space. Grima responded that the paper does not publish guest columns but would publish a letter to the editor of not more than 500 words right away, but would have to wait to publish something longer.
Heath penned something by way of response in the afternoon that fit the 500 word limit and emailed it in. Grima fired back an email challenging the content of Heath's response.
Grima took issue with Heath saying that Falwell is milking people of money. Grima wrote, "Mike, it's one thing to respond to what I have written, but it is quite another
to invent new things, put them theoretically into my mouth as what I 'might
say,' and then say you're agin 'em. Neither did I say Jerry Falwell has milked
anybody for anything. The Latin phrase non sequitur means something like 'does
not follow,' and it is often used to describe things that are not connected to
what they seem to be."
Heath defended his response, "Dave, you write that the religious right, characterized by
Jerry Falwell, has 'disguised the genuine origins of the movement.' You are
calling him deceitful .... yes? You also write that it is wrong for people to be 'cynically
milked of their votes and money.' It is clear that you are saying that the
religious right and Jerry Falwell milk people of their money. I read the entire
column carefully. My letter, submitted in accordance with your word limit,
addresses your main point. Your point is consistent with the title of Balmer's
book title. You are claiming that the religious right is corrupt. I am merely
making the opposite assertion. That is not a non sequiter. It is just a good response.
Sorry, I don't have time to look up some fancy latin sounding phrase from the
logic class I missed in college to defend myself."
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| Mike Heath |
Heath commented that he is used to this sort of response from the press in Maine, but he doesn't think it is right. He observed that Mr. Grima can certainly make his non sequiter point, and claim that he was wronged by Heath's column, since he decides what will go in the next week's paper.
Heath said, "The controversy would probably sell more papers. This would play out on the opinion pages, after all. We aren't talking news here. It is just my opinion vs. his. I thought that is what the opinion page of newspapers was for, the airing of opposing views?"
Here is Heath's letter to editor:
Heaven knows
by
Michael S. Heath, Executive Director
Christian
Civic League of Maine
Bio:
Mike Heath has served as executive director of the Christian Civic League of
Maine since January 1, 1994. He has never milked anything other than cows.
In a
recent lengthy column this newspaper's editor David Grima suggests that Jerry
Falwell milks people for money. Grima uses a book and recent Maine appearance
by a Mr. Randall Balmer as his jumping on point. The author believes that the
religious right distorts faith and threatens America. So, apparently, does Mr.
Grima.
The
article speaks about the origins of the so-called religious right. I don't have
any information about that, even though I've been told I'm the biggest religious
righter in all of Maine, perhaps New England. I have met Jerry Falwell. I had
lunch with him once. It was interesting.
Rev.
Falwell was in Maine celebrating the burning of a church mortgage. I don't know
if he got paid for that appearance, but I do know that the hundreds of Mainers
who attended the event were sure grateful to him for taking time to be with
them.
I
enjoyed my dinner sitting next to him, and discussed a controversy that was
raging at the time over a book written by a former colleague of his. Cal Thomas
had just published a book entitled "Blinded by Might." It was critical of Rev.
Falwell. Rev. Falwell was critical of the book. I viewed the controversy at
the time as healthy. I view it that way today. It proved to me that Christians
think for themselves and they debate ideas, and even motives, publicly.
I've
been a big honcho in the scary "religious right" for almost two decades now and
I've found that leading this movement is like herding cats. I've heard the same
thing said about leading Republicans, Democrats, legislatures, businesses and
families. For goodness sakes, I find its hard to sort out the conflicting ideas
and desires pounding around inside my own head sometimes. I suspect we are all
that way. Life in a fallen world, in a body with a mind poisoned by the effects
of the fall, is like that. Movements, groups and nations are no different.
In
Maine we sort these matters out -- and in doing so build a community -- by
battling politically. The Christian Civic League of Maine has been a player in
that political battle since 1897. I guess you could say we were trying to be
right about religion and politics long before the so-called "religious right"
was a glimmer in Jerry's eye.
And
what has that desire to be right about religion and politics produced in the
Christian Civic League of Maine over the past century? Well, it has produced
the public conviction that Maine is a better place if it is characterized by
intact families, strong marriages, respect for life and sober people.
Mr.
Grima might call these objectives scary, political, republican and corrupt.
Most Maine people would, however, say they are noble and reasonable.
The
League has, for religious reasons, resisted the redefinition of sexual morality
by sexual orientation theorists. While campaigns come and go the agenda of gay
rights sympathizers marches on. It is only a matter of time before that
agenda/ideology is defeated, and the League proven right.
We
fight for reasonable penalties against drunkeness, and believe people are better
off avoiding alcohol altogether. We want class three, or casino style gambling,
outlawed. Maine will come to this position in time, as it has during other
historic dalliances with the corruption of
gambling.
To
make myself feel better sometimes I remember what someone once said to me, "It
is no insult to be labeled part of the religious right. There is nothing wrong
with being both religious and right."
If
you can summon the courage you may want to expose yourself to more information
about our scary ideas by visiting our website:
http://www.christiancivicleague.org It
is virus free and working, when it isn't being hacked by gay rights activists.
Editor's note: Heath's letter was eventually published. Read about that here.
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