My Response to Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington went on CNN yesterday and compared the media coverage of the Reverend Terry Jones and his planned burning of the Quran to the "balloon boy" incident earlier this year.

"It's a little bit like watching events unfold in an alternate universe that has nothing to do with what is really happening in this country, with the plight of the jobless, the people losing their homes," she said, comparing the situation to "balloon boy" Falcon Heene."

You can see the video here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-tv/arianna-quran-burning-coverage-balloon-boy_b_711413.html

Unlike a lot of the commenter's over there at the Huffington Post who agree with her position on this, I'd like to take issue with it.

The Reverend Terry Jones wanting to burn the Quran is nothing like the balloon boy story and here's why.

When I first heard about the "Balloon Boy" it was while reading the Huffington Post. I believe it was at the top of your web page Arianna. I quickly ditched the computer and turned on the television where I sat glued to my seat, flipping between the news channels to watch the coverage.

I remember while watching, that it was ironically enough, Shepard Smith on FOX (FOX!!!) who raised the possibility that there was no child in that soaring contraption and he speculated that maybe the kid released the tethers that were keeping that thing tied to the earth and the kid was now hiding as kids have been known to do when they know they are going to be in big trouble.

As the story played out, Mr Smith came pretty close to the truth (it was the parents who it turned out that had played us all not Falcon Heene).

I choose to believe that we were all relieved that Falcon was not on board when that thing came crashing back to earth. but the story changed in record time. It became more of a story about the victimization of the media and how the media had been duped.

That would include you Arianna. A young child, as you proved with your comment on CNN became a grudge for you to hold. Well okay, maybe not a grudge but perhaps a standard that you now measure other stories against in an effort not to get sucked into over the top reporting of something that has no basis in reality.

I get that. I really do. As a news and politics junkie, I actually appreciate it. A loud mouth like myself has learned over time a little self filtering can be a good thing.

The balloon boys story came about because his eccentric father wanted a reality show (not unexpected given that your own Huffington Post and other media outlets have redefined success by giving so many narcissistic people who are willing to be famous anything and will do whatever it takes for themselves to remain that way).

Reverend Terry Jones is a completely different kettle of fish that should get media coverage. When you say his story has, "nothing to do with what is really happening in this country, with the plight of the jobless, the people losing their homes", I say baloney.

It has everything to do with it.

People are not getting jobs and losing their homes and all the other ills of our society is because the hatred in this country is rampant. The battle has become more important than whatever the goal was.

The haves hate the have not's. Politics, while always rough and tumble has become a blood sport turning neighbor against neighbor as the right hates the left. The employed hate the unemployed. Everybody it seems, hates the government and Wall Street overlooking that in our society both a necessary. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

The Reverend Terry Jones want to burn the Quaran for God's sake. The holiest of text to millions of people. Disgusting.

Reverend Jones stands for nothing more than pure hatred and he needs to have the media glare on him, exposing him as the skittering cockroach he is as he changes directions in an effort to avoid the light. Will he or won't he seems to be the question today.

More importantly, for our standing in the world, the media's light needs to be shone on all of us who don't agree with him. That he does not represent America.

That's the story that needs to be told over and over again if for no other reason than positive reinforcement for the masses.

But that probably wouldn't pay the bills would it Arianna?