Column: ‘Old Grey Lady’ fails to maintain objectivity

By Online Poster

Sometimes I feel like my feeble and ignorant mind has trouble understanding the brilliance that the New York Times is supposed to represent. Who among us hasn’t been taught that this is the “paper of record” – that shining beacon of free speech, an objective press and all things journalistic.

The Times seems to be very resilient. The paper has had to endure a few scandals the past few years and has been accused heavily of leaning to the left (this is denied ad nauseum by most liberals), but still it remains a journalistic icon.

In 2005, a study done by a UCLA political scientist found that 18 of 20 major media outlets surveyed had a liberal bias. The New York Times came through as the third most liberal. “Special Report With Brit Hume” on Fox News, often decried as a mouthpiece for the right, did in fact fall to the right, but was also named the fourth most moderate outlet in the study. If one is to call Fox News a right-wing propaganda machine, then one must realize that the New York Times goes far beyond being simply a left-wing counterweight. The quantifications of bias were done by comparing the bias of a media outlet to ADA scores of politicians. Denials of liberal media bias of the New York Times are erroneous at best.

So why would I decide to pick on the New York Times all of a sudden? The Daily Illini is making national news these days for their publication of controversial cartoons and the subsequent suspension of two editors, a decision that was not mirrored by the New York Times. They decided they would take what they saw as the high road and refrain from offending the sensibilities of Muslims.

Apparently, the New York Times has a different road map for different religions. In the past, the Times has heaped praise on artists who come forward and stand against the repressive nature of both government and the Catholic Church. The Times decided they would line up behind artists such as Chris Ofili who created works of “art” (I use the term very loosely) considered sacrilegious to Catholics (and indeed, all Christians). Ofili created a painting of the Virgin Mary covered in elephant dung. Andres Serrano, an artist whose work was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, submerged a plastic crucifix in his urine, and was subsequently defended by the Times.

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The Times looked down their noses at critics of the works in their editorials: “A museum is obliged to challenge the public as well as to placate it.” Perhaps this is true. However, that is one of the more mild pieces of criticism for the protesters of the “art.”

Fast forward to a week or so ago. The Times was faced with a new dilemma. Cartoons originally published in September were now resurfacing, and Muslims who took offense were protesting heavily throughout the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.

The New York Times decided they would not publish the cartoons. This is an understandable position, seeing as how the cartoons are very offensive. However, the Gray Lady rarely leaves itself in an understandable position.

One of the articles on the cartoon controversy in the Times examined past artistic works that have evoked passionate opposition, including Ofili’s piece, and lo and behold, the Times decided they would publish a picture of this piece just to remind readers what they were talking about. The hypocrisy is blinding.

Most anyone looking at this situation would see a huge problem here. Maybe I’m just not as enlightened as those brainy editors at the New York Times. Of course, it’s considered fashionable and intelligent to sling mud at the Catholic Church, but offenses against other religions and ideologies are bigoted and completely unjustified. So goes the logic at the paper of record. Here’s hoping they can one day deserve that nickname.

John Ostrowski is a junior in Communications. He would like to note that he is, in fact, as enlightened as those brainy New York Times editors. His column appears Tuesdays. He can be reached at [email protected].