When The Amazing Race reality television show went to Vietnam, the attention span for some Americans had risen. When the producers of the show aired Vietnamese musical performances filled with pro-communist propaganda, alarm bells started to ring. But when a B-52 memorial was aired on the show, outrage filled the air.
The team at Fox News demanded an apology from CBS and the producers of The Amazing Race feeling the show demonstrated an absolute lack of respect for our Vietnam Veterans. It took almost a full week for anyone at CBS to respond to Fox News and the American public who were outraged. This past Sunday, a typed message read aloud by an unnamed representative at CBS delivered an apology during the show.
The apology was apparently not what Fox News was looking for. Monday morning, Fox & Friends First conducted a poll asking viewers whether The Amazing Race apology was good enough. Then, during the same show, a segment was aired which expressed dissatisfaction toward CBS and their recent apology.
The biblical saying, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" comes to mind.
The John 8:7 biblical quote noted above comes with good reason. This week is considered Holy Week. Many conservatives love to spread their Christian Judeo beliefs and when it comes to main stream media, Fox News often serves as the conduit. But it appears more often than not, many of these claimed Christians are the first to cast judgment onto others.
As a Christian and a conservative, some things have become very clear to me. Nothing seems to be "good enough" for many claimed Christian Judeo conservatives. Some media outlets, in this case, Fox News, are hell bent on finding anything and everything to cast stones toward anyone who believes differently than them. The amount of anger and outrage in the air conflicts with the teachings of Jesus.
I am a combat veteran. While I am not a Vietnam Veteran, I do understand why many would be unhappy with the recent Amazing Race episode. But it was a choice made by producers, executives and contestants which allowed viewers to decide whether to watch or not. It was a choice fulfilled because of the sacrifices made by veterans.
No one needs to like decisions made by others. But "choice" is part of freedom. Jesus suffered and died for our sins. Those sins are brought about by the decisions, or choices, we make. This reflection could easily serve as a friendly reminder that coincides with the actions fulfilled by so many veterans.
This is Holy Week. It is a week to reflect upon the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus. If Christian Conservatives wish to uphold certain values, hopefully, this will serve as a friendly reminder to actually live, not just speak, with Christian values.
Who are we to judge?
The Amazing Race team delivered an apology. For some, that apology may not be perceived as the perfect apology. But it was an apology and we should not be the ones who judge rather we should allow that "judgment" be made by our savior.
As a Christian Conservative who served in combat, I believe the apology set forth by CBS and the Amazing Race team was more than adequate. Then again, I don't believe they needed to apologize in the first place. They were just practicing their freedom to choose -- a freedom gained by those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Kerry Patton, a combat disabled veteran, is author of Contracted: America's Secret Warriors.