Ohio's Online Christian Right Newspaper: Hibernating, Dead Or Needs A Miracle?

DAYTON (TDB) -- Citizen USA online hasn't published a fresh news story for more than a month. The conservative Christian right newspaper has traditionally been a foe of Democrats on its editorial pages, opposes abortion and gay rights, and has been critical of the mainstream media. Last fall, it endorsed Republican Ken Blackwell for governor, and Blackwell appears on the online site in what amounts to a plug that praises Citizen USA.

So far, there is nothing available that explains the lack of fresh news and commentary. It could be a slow perior, or neglect. But some are wondering if the Christian right publication has folded -- perhaps succumbing to the pressures and shifts in readership that are shrinking and damaging the bottom lines of general interest newspapers. Citizen USA online grew out of the print version of Christian Citizen, a newspaper that had its first press run in 1984. In the 1990s, it was aligned with Mike Turner, then Dayton's Republican mayor, now a conservative Ohio congressman.

The publishers are Pendra Lee and Rick Snyder, who say in a note describing their paper's history that they wanted to reach a broader audience. That meant a name change from Christian Citizen to Citizen USA. They intended to fashion a general interest publication with Christian roots. Does the lack of copy indicate their plan flopped, or has flagged? They wrote:

"As the Citizen USA expands into the culture and works to continually improve the coverage of news and information from a traditional values point of view, we pray that we won't have to wear our Jesus on our mast head. We pray that people who might otherwise stay away might will pick up Citizen USA and join us in the movement to return to traditional values in our nation."

Ohio Trash Talker Bill Cunningham: A Peeping Willie?

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Usually, WLW's Bill Cunningham is on the dishing end, reliably spouting conservative causes like a human geyser on his radio talk show that emanates each weekday in Cincinnati. Now he's managed to p.o the Christian Right, and one evangelical commentator has sprayed back with a dose of skunk juice, implying that Willie likes to leer at young women through their unshaded windows.

Definitely titillating. But that's really hard to believe, isn't it?

A lengthy commentary that mentions the ogling is online at Citizen USA, the web-version of a newspaper that circulates in many Ohio churches. There is no fairness doctrine that covers newspapers or online sites -- or radio talk shows for that matter -- so there is nothing showing Clear Channel talker Cunningham has responded to the commentary. Citizen USA says about itself that it is a "newspaper that represents the worldview of the Values Voter" and "challenges the liberal bias found is most hometown daily newspapers."

The passage that gut-punched Cunningham reads as follows:

"So why was Willie, usually the Conservative's conservative, blasting Phil Burress, David Miller, Bill Seitz and others? While eating lunch at (irony of all ironies) the West Chester location of the restaurant that bears Willies name, I overheard diners ate (sic) the table next door speculating that Willie had to be rescued from his roof not for inspecting dryer lint, but for inspecting the navels of young women in the neighborhood through their open windows. (Cunningham recently had to be rescued from the roof of his home, placing a famous but embarrassing 911 call to the Madeira Fire Department after climbing up a too-short ladder to inspect a dryer vent installation on his roof and becoming frightened he would injure himself getting down.)"

Maybe Cunningham just got Swiftboated by the right? After all, it was a navel attack.

UPDATE: 10:25 am EDT -- Just discovered that Right Angle Blog is conducting a poll to determine the most influential/popular conservative talker in Ohio. Cunningham is the first name on the ballot. He's definitely a force. But some people in Cincinnati have another nickmane for Willie. They call him the cunning ham. It will be very interesting to see who wins the RAB poll. Guess here -- Willie zips past all comers.

Ohio Christian Newspaper Labels Obama An 'Abomination'

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Sen. Barack Obama gets manhandled as a pro-gay, pro-abortion Democrat who "mimics scripture to suit his own needs" in a major story headlining the current edition of Ohio's Citizen USA newspaper. The print and online publication has an audience of socially conservative evangelical readers across the state, and the attack was timed to follow Obama's campaign swing through Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland last week.

Last month, the newspaper ran an editorial apologizing to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, an ordained Methodist minister, for an editorial that gossiped about his marriage. But this month, the gloves were off in a piece focused on Clenard H. Childress Jr., a Baptist minister from New Jersey. Childress heads Christians for Social Justice, a group based in Columbus that has targeted the Illinois senator. Childress is an African-American and contends Obama has strayed from the principles that are preached in black churches. Citizen USA's article appears under the headline: "Clergy groups say an Obama led nation would be an abomination."

Other pro-choice Democrats are not mentioned. The paper traditionally supports Republicans, and last year endorsed Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell in the gubernatorial campaign against Strickland.

Childress says Obama is deceiving the "scripturally illiterate" by contending into the Bible is vague or obscure on the subject of homosexuality. "I would like to ask Senator Obama the question, 'How obscure is this verse?' Leviticus 18:22 clearly says, 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is an abomination.' That sounds pretty definitive to me."

Childress appealed to Ohio's African-Americans to reject overtures from Obama. "This man does not reflect your values . . . the values that at one time made African-Americas a very strong and resilient and great people. We have drifted away from those values but we're coming back. By bestowing our allegiance to Barack Obama it would be a great setback for African-Americans." Click HERE to read the story.

Ohio Gov. Strickland Gets Apology: Christian Cartoon Was 'Low Blow'

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A scurrilous editorial cartoon appeared recently in the religiously-oriented, pro-life publication Christian Citizen USA that ridiculed Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and his wife, Frances. Democrat Strickland is an ordained Methodist minister who is not aligned with the religious right. Now the publication's owner has publicly apologized for a "low blow" and is seeking forgiveness.

"The cartoon on our Commentary page was provocative. It was about our new governor Ted Strickland. Gov. Strickland and his wife have a history of not living together in the same location at the same time. Some of our readers thought the cartoon speculated on their personal lifestyle choices. Either way, we apologize for the cartoon. In hindsight it was a low blow and as Christians we did not do a good job of showing the same grace that God has faithfully showed us through our many mess-ups," Pendra Lee Snyder said about the incident.

"Our commentary page is set aside to express what we hope are opinions based on solid facts -- opinions that are helpful, not hurtful. The news pages are just that, news. We work to keep a distinction. And we certainly do not want to come across as throwing out what we might believe is smart commentary when in reality it is just smart aleck commentary."

She said Christ probably would not have put such a cartoon in print and closed by saying, "Please forgive us and please send your comments."

Other Ohioans on the right have raised similar smarmy questions about the governor's sexual orientation -- an issue that Republican Ken Blackwell's camp tried to flog without success in the final days of his tanked gubernatorial effort. Mrs. Snyder, at least, demonstrated she has class by confessing online for all the world to see that she had strayed from her Christian principles. She didn't hide or dissemble. Others who jumped on the Blackwell gay-bashing bandwagon have yet to do the same.

There is quite a bit of background about Mrs. Snyder's publication HERE , and it is an important voice and widely read by those active in the evangelical movement. She even had the courage and fundamental decency to print this letter from a critic:

"Dear Editor,
"The cartoon, about Governor Strickland, in the January (2007) edition of the Christian Citizen USA seems out of place in a Christian publication.
"I believe that Christians are to show love and Christ to the world. I do not feel that cartoon does either.
"I feel that Christians should not talk, in a negative way, about people, spread gossip and/or poke fun at others.
"I do not think Christ would have put that cartoon in the paper if he were the editor.
"I am ashamed of the newspaper having that cartoon in it and although I usually pass the paper out to co-workers and friends, this edition will go in my garbage.
"I did not vote for Strickland so my opinion is not because of favor for him. It just seems very unchristian like.
In Christ,
Bonnie Sylvia
West Portsmouth, OH"