Bias with a cause

Oh no she didn’t… oh yeah I did. I did just say that - - “bias with a cause.” For many of my class mates, you may be too young to remember James Dean. He was a huge pop icon in the mid 50s, one of his most popular movies was “A Rebel Without a Cause.”

Dean is not a source for my blog, but he was a "cause" of inspiration for my title.

In Thursday’s class, one of our classmates offered a very insightful thought towards our class discussion about bias. She said that “bias can be in the eye of the beholder,” which makes more sense than arguing that there is a liberal bias or a conservative bias in the media.

I left Thursday's class pondering this discerning assessment; “bias is in the eye of the beholder.”

In my “non-scholar” analytical mind, I began to evaluate and examine why certain organizations or group of individuals cry bias in the media. My "non-credential" conclusion is that bias is NOT as much based on perception as it is on issue or topic (maybe that could be a new one for the list – topical bias).

Abortion is a perfect example. It’s a very controversial issue; yet, people have various opinions on the subject. I understand that right off the bat many individuals will say, “It’s murdering innocent lives.” Well, many people will argue that war always claims the innocent lives of mothers and children; they are called casualties of war (murder is murder).

Okay, so others will say that is not a valid argument. Well what about capital punishment. It would not only be hypocritical but contradictory to believe in one and not the other. Nowhere in the bible does it say that if you commit murder you should be murdered.

Not to create a debate within a debate, it’s just important to know that all issues have more than one side (and I’m not claiming a pro choice or a pro life stance). Actually, I have a very impartial stance on the issue. On one side, I can see why a woman says it is her choice and on the other side I understand a Christian’s view that it is murder.

Yet, my point is that when the media covers a pro-choice rally, they are immediately coined “the liberal media.” But if the media only covered a pro-life rally, than they would be claimed to have a "conservative bias."

Here’s the interesting dichotomy of bias claims; when any organization or group of individuals claims that the media is bias, normally it’s to promote their own cause or agenda: Liberal
or Conservative. The catholic clergy and priest are prime examples of that (bias with a cause).

“Bias is in the eye of the beholder.”

As a student of critical thinking, I've become challenged to behold both the conservative and liberal views. And as an aspiring professional of media content, I understand the importance to present both sides equally; however, for my personal life the choice is mine without a cause or a bias.

(The links for this blog are the highlighted words - The title also has a link connected to it)