Kidnapped Fox Newsmen Let Us Down By Not Dying

One of the reasons Fox News is the only news that can be trusted is because of the high caliber of the people who work there. Unfortunately, the two Fox journalists who were recently kidnapped, Steven Centanni and Olaf Wiig, did not live up to the high standards of Fox News while they were in captivity. Many in the conservative blogosphere believe that by surviving their captivity, they let us down.

At first, conservative bloggers were pulling for Centanni and Wiig. They clamored for their release and attacked their kidnappers, knowing that the more they blogged about it, the more likely that the kidnappers would capitulate in the face of this virtual onslaught and release them. They were outraged that the story wasn't getting the attention it deserved from mainstream media and speculated that it was because of bias against Fox News. Michelle Malkin even quoted some liberals who expressed contempt for Fox News and seemed to feel the men deserved to be kidnapped, including such well-known and respected thinkers on the Left as Bob Laurence, the TV critic for the San Diego Tribune and former Snohomish County, Wash., Democrat party official Mike Whitney. They seemed to be speaking the unexpressed thoughts of all liberals. Although Fox News President Roger Ailes later revealed that he had asked the rest of the media to keep a lid on its reporting while negotiations were going on, which might have accounted for the lack of stories by the MSM, that does not negate the possibility that they did, in fact, have contempt for the Fox News journalists anyway.

Once the conservative blogosphere secured the release of Centanni and Wiig, however, they began to have questions about their conduct. The fact that Centanni and Wiig were Fox News journalists did not shield them from scrutiny. In fact, it meant that they were held to a higher standard than just any old kidnapping victims. While we might expect bad behavior from Reuters or Al Jazeera journalists, who because of their biased reporting are legitimate military targets, we really expect a lot more from Fox newsmen. For some, the journalists' actions while in captivity were a "career ender."

Some conservative bloggers were critical of the "politically correct" statements the men made after their release. "I have the highest respect for Islam, and I learned a lot of good things about it," Centanni said. Other bloggers were disgusted by the picture of the men shaking hands with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Hanyeh, while still on Palestinian territory. They began comparing the men to Jill Carroll and digging into their past for evidence of alleged pro-Palestinian sympathies. Inevitably there was speculation the men must be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, although one blogger did suggest one other possible explanation: "I wonder if the journalists are complete and total morons or clear victims of Stockholm Syndrome."

But conservatives were most troubled by a video that was released showing the men converting to Islam at gunpoint. David Warren, who writes for the Ottawa Citizen and Real Clear Politics, deplored their "cowardice" for converting with guns to their heads instead of dying as martyrs. "The two Fox journalists, whom I will not stoop to name, begged for their lives even though, in retrospect, their lives probably weren't in danger," wrote Warren, who risks his life everyday living in Canada, a place I must confess I am afraid even to visit. "They could see nothing wrong in serving the enemy, so long as it meant they'd be safe."

Debbie Schlussel, one of the blogosphere's leading experts on Islam, pointed out that once the men had converted to Islam, even under duress and even if they had their fingers crossed, there was no turning back. "Once a Muslim, always a Muslim . . . or certain death. That's a core tenet of Islam," she said with a sadness that reminded me of John Wayne in The Searchers, who vowed to kill his niece after she was kidnapped and besmirched by Indians rather than let her live with the shame. "I hope they have good security," Schlussel said helpfully and vowed to "keep an eye on Centanni's reporting from the region from hereon." The fact that they were released alive was enough to make them objects of suspicion to Schlussel, who no doubt would be killed by her captors immediately if she were kidnapped: "It needs to be repeated that so many Americans captured by Muslims--including Arab and Muslim Americans in Iraq--have met slaughter and beheading. And yet apparently pro-Islamist journalists, like Jill Carroll and reportedly Steve Centanni, are released to freedom."

The gunpoint conversions of Centanni and Wiig led many bloggers to speculate what they would have done in the journalists' situation. Most agreed that they would have been braver. Although La Shawn Barber urged her readers not to "judge" the men, she maintained that if it had been her, she would have taken a bullet for Christ. March Hare went even further, claiming that if Muslims had threatened her children with death if she didn't convert, she would have let her children die the way Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac (or Ishmael, if Allah pulled a similar stunt in the Quran, which she wasn't really sure about). Hopefully, God won't ask her to sacrifice her children, but her kids might want to be extra cautious whenever they see Mommy with a knife. Independent Conservative said that he would rather die than look like a wimp in the eyes of his sons: "What example of manhood would I be showing my 2 sons, who I'm showing the faith to, if I allowed them to see me deny Christ? " The Anchoress was less sure if she would make the "right choice" but added, "I believe I would de-capitate before I'd capitulate," which I'm sure we all find very reassuring. Debbie Hamilton at first claimed she "probably would have done just like they did, ... read that stupid statement and get the heck out'a dodge," but later said she felt ashamed, perhaps by the courage of so many other potentially martyred bloggers, and quoted this statement from Vanishing American, which condemned the men: "While yes, we can understand their desire to survive, is their subservient behavior a good portent for the West's chances in the struggle against Islam?"

While so far there have been only two shotgun conversions that we know about, many bloggers believe that this is just the beginning of a veritable deluge of such incidents, regrettably encouraged by the capitulation of Centanni and Wiig, and something must be done to stop it. Even worse, soon Muslims will be able to carry out forced conversions on a massive scale backed up by nuclear weapons. Dan Riehl recalls Ann Coulter's statement after September 11: "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." Although he says he is opposed to this course of action and only wanted to point out how hypocritical the Left is for apparently approving of gunpoint conversions by Muslims but not Christians, I wonder if this may not be the solution to this sudden rash of forced conversions by Muslims. Maybe we should convert them at gunpoint before they convert us. Since there are one billion Muslims in the world, though, we better get started soon.

I think the next time Fox hires journalists they should make sure they hire someone who has the integrity to die rather than convert to Islam. Perhaps they might screen prospective hires by asking on the job application if they would choose death or Islam. They could even stage a mock scenario where someone bursts into the room during the job interview and puts a gun to the applicant's head just to test the response. Clearly, Fox News must do whatever is necessary to avoid risking such a lapse in judgment again.

Now, I know some of you must be thinking: "What would you do, Jon Swift, if someone tried to force you to convert at gunpoint?" Well, it's very easy for me to say that I would not convert if they held a gun to my head or to the heads of my family or to the heads of my pets or even if they held a gun to the head of La Shawn Barber or Debbie Schlussel. I can state that without any hesitation whatsoever. Of course, no one is holding a gun to my head right now.

Share This Post


Jon Swift, War on Terror, Terrorism, Fox News, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Weblog, Blogosphere, Internet, Steven Centanni, Olaf Wiig, Jill Carroll, La Shawn Barber, Debbie Schlussel, Michelle Malkin, Politics, Foreign Policy, Beltway Traffic Jam, Comedian Jenée: People are Idiots OTA #24, OTA Weekend Trackbacks, OTB Weekend #7