Small State, Global Culture War

In part by the stark contrast to one of our newest state senators that it presents, Rev. Edward Wilson's defense of his parish school's lunch policy (which recently slipped across the national wires for its lunchtime behavior policy) is remarkable:

At its frenzied peak, news coverage and commentary defaulted to cultural stereotypes of ruthless Catholic educators cracking down on defenseless children. Without checking the facts, a media and a culture conditioned to respond negatively to authority took for granted as inappropriate and foolish what was ultimately found to have been misreported and misunderstood information. ...

Besides the obvious concern that I and many others have about today’s media juggernaut, I cannot help but wonder where our society has found itself. Basic good behavior appears more and more replaced with rash judgments, assumptions of wrongdoing and taking pleasure in often uncharitable perceptions of one’s neighbors. Moreover, it is ironic that while many have been worshiping for some time at the altar of technology, believing that new and faster communications systems will bring us all “closer,” just the opposite often happens.

And that it is remarkable is more than a little frightening.