I went searching for a speech by Moise Tshmobe, the former leader of secessionist Katanga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo and later prime minister, on YouTube because I was reading about him recently. Instead, I got one of the worst news reports I've ever seen in my life.
A journalist's job is to report on a subject and hopefully put it into context. This ABC News report on children accused of witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May of 2009 fell far short of journalism.
The reporter doesn't put the belief in child witchcraft into perspective at all. Instead, he belittles the participants in the story. He moralizes. He chastizes the pastor for commiting "child abuse" whin the name of Jesus. The reporter asks, "You're wearing a picture of Jesus Christ on your robe here, do you think he'd approve of what you're doing?"
That question angered me like none other. A little "child abuse" is nothing compared to the what has been done in Jesus's name throughout history. Yet, the reporter believes he has the right to decide what is and is not appropriate to carry out in Jesus's name. That is not a reporter's job. it also shows a cultural arrogance and general ignorance on the reporter's part.
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