Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 12/12/24

A return to Law & Order – and common sense. A lot of people breathed a sigh of relief Monday when, in a case that never should have been brought to trial, a New York jury finally acquitted former Marine Daniel Penny in the tragic death of Jordan Neely, the black mentally-ill homeless man who was threatening innocent passengers aboard a subway train. It shouldn’t have to be stated but it is possible to acknowledge that Neely’s death is a terrible tragedy and that he himself is the victim of a failed judicial and mental health system without cynically, absurdly and  grotesquely twisting Penny’s act of compassionate courage into a supposed example of white supremacy. In an interview Judge Jeanine Pirro, currently streaming in full on Fox Nation, Penny talks about the guilt he would have felt if he had walked away and Neely carried through on his threat to kill someone.

On the other hand of the confused morality spectrum is the case of Luigi Mangione. The suspect in the cold-blooded New York City murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was arrested in Pennsylvania and was hailed by some misguided souls as something of a folk hero for supposedly striking a blow against an insurance industry that is often deemed heartless and arbitrary for its denial of coverage deemed necessary by doctors. Surely a person can be in agreement with the need for healthcare reform and, at the same time, recognize that in a civilized society grievances need to dealt with legally and not self-righteously through the barrel of a gun. Cold blooded murder is never to be confused with compassion. Most people, including Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, get that. The vast majority of the American people get it too. On the other hand, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has expressed a dangerous mixed message on the subject that panders to divisive and ultimately destructive negative base instincts. On this, and a host of issues, the Democratic Party is at a crossroads where Woke ideology is coming into increasingly glaring conflict with rational thought. If the party wants to survive, my advice is that it lean toward its Josh Shapiros and away from its Elizabeth Warrens.

BTW, perhaps those people moved to donate to Mangione’s defense fund should consider instead donating to someone actually in need of medical care and who could use some grassroots financial support. That, rather than a cruel virtue signal, would be a true act of compassion.

Finally, if you want to read an interesting article comparing the similar yet ultimately divergent paths of the two young men at the center of these stories check out this column by Miranda Devine in the New York Post.
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A timeless tale offered to those doing time. The podcast version of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol is back for a second season. This year the audio drama is being broadcast by Texas prison facilities on Christmas Eve, allowing inmates to listen to the podcast while their family simultaneously listen to it on radio stations in their communities. Prisoners will be allowed to share the experience by talking with their spouses and children on the phone during the podcast. Now, that’s the Spirit of Christmas. Check out the trailer below.

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Blue Bloods ends its 14-year run tomorrow at 10:00 PM ET on CBS. One of the few shows on network television to straightforwardly present a traditional Christian family in a positive light is coming to an end despite continued high ratings. Read into that what you will. I first became familiar with the show a year or two ago when I was hired to create a fun personality test to help viewers determine which Reagan family member is most like them. To do that, I had to watch several episodes and I found the characters to be likable and the stories engaging. I can’t say that about a lot of shows these days. It’s sad to see it go – but, to all those involved, you can be proud of what you accomplished. You can watch the finale preview below.

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