I’m peeved. I don’t get peeved often, but I am, and I’ll tell you why. A great man died last week. President Thomas S. Monson. Enough good cannot be said of this man, but this is all The New York Times could muster to say about him after his passing:
Thomas Monson, the president of the Mormon church who rebuffed demands to ordain women as priests and refused to alter church opposition to same-sex marriage, died Tuesday at 90 https://t.co/NKEHpAXzb1
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 3, 2018
Now it’s not the fact that they’ve blatantly attempted to smear his character (and the Church’s) in their article that bothers me. Antagonists towards The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always framed our prophets and beliefs poorly. That’s nothing new. What bothers me is that this time it’s coming from an outlet whose sole journalistic purpose is to report truth fairly, openly and without bias. What’s more, it comes after President Monson’s death. A time when you’d think that if any bias were to seep through, it’d be reflective of the deceased’s accomplishments, not controversies.
Overall the article seems to use President Monson’s death as a platform to highlight controversies around gender equality and LGTB issues within the Church.
Thankfully, the world fought back
Ben Shapiro
We Mormons aren’t the only ones upset by the NYT “obituary.” Popular author, speaker and radio talk-show host Ben Shapiro, who is Jewish, had plenty to say about it. In his article, “The New York Times Proves It Hates Religious Americans With This Obituary,” he cites the obituary tweets for both Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner and former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez:
Breaking News: Hugh Hefner has died at 91. He founded Playboy magazine in 1953 and became inseparable from his brand https://t.co/p3uDZYUn86
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 28, 2017
Updated: President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela has died after a long battle with cancer http://t.co/HtfqpNZ2jz
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 5, 2013
Shapiro’s commentary was quick and to the point:
So it’s much worse, from the Times’ perspective, to be a religious person who abides by religious dictates on female ordination and same-sex marriage than to be a sexual profligate who trafficked in pornography, or to be a socialist dictator who destroyed an entire country. Monson was obviously a monster.
Dear Ben Shapiro,
Thank you for standing up for President Thomas S. Monson.
The Washington Examiner
The Washington Examiner also noticed the questionable NYT obituary. Here’s what they said:
…it’s an odd thing for the Times to use an obituary announcement to highlight the deceased’s perceived controversies or failings. At least, it’s odd that the Times doesn’t apply this standard consistently. It’s odd that a faith leader who opposed same-sex marriage would get this treatment when someone like, say, noted pornographer Hugh Hefner didn’t.
The WE also added Fidel Castro’s NYT obituary to the list of inconsistencies:
A tale of two obituaries. pic.twitter.com/vwLPjLWOoJ
— Skeletaster ??? (@neontaster) January 3, 2018
The difference in how the Times covered Monson and Hefner is weird enough. If you want a real trip, take a look at the gentle treatment the paper gave Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
. . . here’s how Times begins its Castro obituary: ‘Fidel Castro, the fiery apostle of revolution who brought the Cold War to the Western Hemisphere in 1959 and then defied the United States for nearly half a century as Cuba’s maximum leader, bedeviling 11 American presidents and briefly pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war, died on Friday. He was 90.’
Dear Washington Examiner,
Thank you for standing up for President Thomas S. Monson.
The Federalist
The Federalist also put out a great piece excoriating The New York Times. Here’s what they said:
The Times obituary wasn’t a look forward to what may be in store for the Mormon Church, but instead taken as an opportunity to demonize a leader who has spent his life and influence trying to better the world through charity and the word of God.
That fact is what the Times apparently finds most troubling and worthy of their contempt, so much so that they took the opportunity of Monson’s obituary to smear not just the Mormon president and prophet, but also all Americans of faith. For that reason, the Times should be held to account not just by the millions of Mormons in America, but other religious Americans as well.
Dear Federalist,
Thank you for standing up for President Thomas S. Monson.
The Atlantic
Mckay Coppins wrote a great obituary for The Atlantic, but also took to Twitter, questioning The New York Times’ decision-making skills:
Been trying to figure out all day how the @nytimes justified this framing of the Mormon prophet's obituary. https://t.co/5388XFjXDc
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) January 4, 2018
"Hugh Hefner, the Playboy founder who rebuffed demands that he stop publishing a misogynistic pornographic magazine and exploiting young women, died at 91." https://t.co/3rBMnhstkw
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) January 4, 2018
The facts are accurate, of course, and it's entirely fair to include them in the piece. But the NYT doesn't usually lead their obituaries for public figures with the things they didn't do when they were alive.
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) January 4, 2018
Dear McKay Coppins,
Thank you for standing up for President Thomas S. Monson.
There’s even a petition to have the NYT rewrite the obituary
Nevada man Nathan Cunningham started the petition yesterday:
We are asking that the New York Times formally apologize for this bias in reporting and present an honest, neutral, and balanced obituary.
As of 1:46 PM, Mountain Time on January 8th, it had already accumulated nearly 80 thousand signatures. You can sign the petition and watch the count go up here:
President Monson was, and is, a spiritual giant
I’m not peeved anymore. I’m disappointed in the NYT, but grateful for the outpouring of support from non-Mormon (and Mormon) influencers. If we’re loud enough the whole truth about Thomas S. Monson’s character will echo throughout the world.
