Religious ads and the free press

A recent Fencepost article from an individual in Libertyville chastised the Daily Herald and Chicago Tribune for printing a religious ad placed by Hobby Lobby. It bothers the writer that Hobby Lobby places full page ads to sell their craft products and full page ads to promote religious values.

Both ads are paid for by Hobby Lobby. They are not placed free of charge through generosity. He asks, "How can we accept such bias in our news media?" Do paid-for ads indicate bias? No, they are simply income generators for the newspaper, magazine or TV station.

Real bias is what is printed or aired through The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, et. al., that we are subject to on a daily basis.

In closing, he takes Hobby Lobby and the media to task, reminding them of a part of the First Amendment. Emphasis on "a part." He quotes, "Congress shall make no law regarding the establishment of religion" but conveniently excludes "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (religion) or abridging the freedom of speech or the press."

Paul Saam

Gurnee