The Media Frenzy and Saint Stansislaus Kostka Church

Americans love a winner, and especially love an underdog fighting "the system". People are cheering the defiant independence of Saint Stanislaus Kostka church, the former Polish personal parish in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, whose board of directors and recently-hired priest are now in a state of excommunication.

The news media loves the story. The church has gotten so much free publicity, that the Christmas Midnight Mass there was packed with supporters from all over the United States; it reportedly almost had as many people as the Mass at the Cathedral that night.

But you might notice that only certain underdogs get positive notice by the news media. How about these folks fighting the system?

• Citizens objecting to what is taught in public schools.


• Episcopalian congregations upset with their bishops' changing of doctrine.


• Protestors at abortion clinics.


• Physicians giving up their practices due to high medical malpractice insurance costs caused by punitive tort damages.


• Orthodox professors denied tenure at universities.


• Voters in cities with large numbers of fraudulent ballots cast in an election.


• Taxpayers upset at court-ordered tax increases.


• Traditional artists denied public funding.


• Parents objecting to the sexually alluring clothing, films, and music being marketed to their children.


• African-Americans who do not want to conform to their community's standards.

Many readers will say that these folks don't deserve to be heard; for their views are outside of the mainstream, or they are extremists, behind the times, or they are just stupid or are guilty of hate speech.

But with few exceptions, the people love whatever side of an argument that the media shows favorably. The current situation is not an exception.