Washington Post Admits Bible Marathon Coverage 'Unfair'

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But Newspaper Refuses To Correct Record

Contact: Pastor Michael Hall, 202-441-6455

WASHINGTON, May 17/Christian Newswire/ -- Washington Post Ombudsman Deborah Howell admitted in a column published last Sunday, "Anger Over a Prayer Day Portrayal" that her newspaper's coverage of the 18th Annual U. S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon was "unfair." Howell was responding to the deluge of complaints about columnist Dana Milbank's dishonest, inaccurate and defamatory article, "Dozens of Heads Were Bowed" that ridiculed the reading of God's Holy Word.

Howell wrote: "The issue isn't just whether Milbank is fair; the issue is whether it was fair for The Post to let his column stand as the only coverage of the event. In this instance, it was not."

However, when Marathon Co-Director Terry Shaffer Hall requested that one of the Washington Post's three religion reporters be dispatched to write about some of the positive aspects of the event, Howell responded: "That's not the way it works."

Milbank mockingly wrote, "Let us pray" in a supposed plea for understanding of questions he already knew the answers to, but failed to report. In that same spirit, minus the mockery, a few prayers for enlightenment come to mind:

Let us pray to know why the Washington Post would not send even one of its three religion reporters to cover any of several national prayer events held at the White House or on Capitol Hill.

Let us pray to know why the Washington Post would allow the publication of a column so blatantly hostile and offensive to the religious beliefs of over 240 million Americans.

Let us pray to know why the Washington Post would admit that it was "unfair" to allow Milbank's negative column to be the only coverage of the events and take no steps to correct it.

Let us pray to know why the Washington Post would not discipline one of its employees who reported as fact things he knew to be false.

Let us pray to know "the way it works" to get fair and accurate coverage from the Washington Post.

Those associated with the National Day of Prayer and the U. S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon believe in the power of prayer, but no Divine revelation is required to provide such answers. It is clear that the Washington Post is openly hostile to Christians and views them as "fair game" for ridicule and mockery.