Saturday, Jul 19, 2008
Bob Jones U. stunt isn't journalism . Plus: A U.S.-Canadian war, eh? Oscar doesn't curse careers.
Mar 27, 2000 | Makin' out at Bob Jones U.
BY DANIEL KRAUS
(03/22/00)
This isn't journalism, it's a high school prank. There is no serious attempt to understand the minds of Bob Jones University students, just another attempt to take on the easy targets in front of a like-minded audience.
To be fair, BJU has barred journalists from freely roaming the campus. This is foolish of them. It's a wonderful opportunity for them to get their message to the world, by word and example. So it's their own fault if writers infiltrate their campus undercover and portray them unsympathetically.
I grew up under fundamentalism and have no love or patience for it today. But I do not doubt or disrespect the sincerity of the believers, and I know that the complexities and mysteries of any religion cannot be fairly reduced to a cartoon sketch.
I must also ask if the writer's inability to get a rise out of the BJU students has more to do with the students' courtesy to not stare at a couple engaged in a public display, one that is a clear violation of their rules, than anything interracial. The students' behavior is right out of Miss Manners 101. I applaud them.
-- Craig Spirko
Wow, Christian baiting. That's so original. As an atheist I don't disagree with the premise of the article, that the religious are a bunch of brain-dead boobs, but then so what? They should be allowed to practice their boobery in peace. Deliberately trying to provoke them reeks of juvenile attempts at "edginess."
-- Bill Clark
There was nothing bizarre about the looks received by the writer and his girlfriend. In fact, if they are a couple in real life and not just posing for the sake of the story they should be used to it by now. My husband is black and I am white and we get those looks all the time. Interracial couples are still not a common site in the America of the 21st century.
-- Mari Miller-Lamb
Daniel Kraus is a funny guy! They're pretty freaky there, aren't they? They're not like us sophisticated people who read Salon and are embarrassed by those crazy religious people.
Aren't there targets that are a little more worthy of satire?
Let's try to tolerate some actual diversity. Diversity means more than different hair styles, or body piercing. It means tolerating people who have beliefs that you may fundamentally disagree with.
-- Todd Ojala
Get Salon in your mailbox!