So, from bigotry to power politics and back: I got worked up this morning watching Headline News.  Gloria Allred is alleging that the Tebows are not telling the whole story about Pam’s decision not to abort Tim.  Allred’s allegation is based, so far as I can tell, merely on the fact that abortion is illegal in the Philippines and, since there is a serious penalty for doing so, no doctor in the Philippines would give such advice.

My mind reeled with the sheer audacity of this claim.  Questions began to pop: What doctors gave the advice?  American doctors abroad?  Philippino doctors?  Someone else?  Was she actually in the Philippines when she got this advice?  (Missionaries often have medical care in places besides where they serve.)  One article I found – a Baptist homeschooling blog, of all places – said that it was an American-trained doctor in the Philippines.  That’s the only place I found any reference to the doctor in question.

More questions: Did that American-trained doctor tell Mrs. Tebow he/she would do the abortion?   What exactly did he/she say to her?

In other words, what does Allred actually know to ground such a headline-grabbing allegation?  All these questions need a certain kind of answer for her allegations to begin to have any merit.  I heard absolutely nothing in the news clip to ease my qualms.

No one outside of Focus on the Family and, I suppose, the Tebows, has seen the ad.  On what basis, therefore, can Allred allege both that the story is false and that the Tebows are actually distorting their own story in order (apparently) to play politics?  It’s a staggering suggestion she has made when you think of how careful, how determined Tim Tebow has been to present a transparent, consistent Christian witness.  Does Allred realize that she is actually accusing them of going against everything they say they stand for?  Are we really that cynical?

I want to make clear, my post is not about abortion.  I also don’t care if the ad does not run.  I care that people like Gloria Allred can spout off with complete impunity on television, essentially to engage in character assassination while giving the impression that her legal knowledge gives her the license so to do.  And don’t bring up Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly.  They don’t pretend to be lawyers and at least they fulminate on their own TV shows.  Allred got 30 seconds on Headline News.

If you remember that AskOxford.com definition of bigotry, it includes the word “prejudice.”  If Gloria Allred has not made sure that she stands on firm ground with the circumstances of the Tebow story, then she clearly has prejudged, in the most glaring, daring way.  Is she a bigot like Huffington?  Google for yourself and read.  If it walks like a duck…

Bigotry and Power

Tagged on:                             

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.