Just a reminder.

We are actually making progress.

However there is still much progress to be made.

West Virginia Professsor hands out syllabus forbidding students to use questionable reference material, like the Onion or Fox News. Seems fair.

Image courtesy of Fox News.

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

A syllabus for a political science course at West Liberty University instructs students that they must filter out two potential research sources, reports WTOV, a nearby NBC affiliate. 

Here is what the syllabus says:

 DO NOT use 

1) The Onion — this is not news this is literally a parody 

2) Fox News — The tagline “Fox News” makes me cringe. Please do not subject me to this biased news station. I would almost rather you print off an article from the Onion 

No other media or research sources — such as, say, just for example, MSNBC — appear to be prohibited outright. (Why would they be? They actually report the news, and are aggressive fact checkers.)

Stephanie Wolfe, the visiting assistant professor, behind the ban, has a one-year contract with the university in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. She is replacing another instructor who is on leave. 

Upset students and some parents complained to local press outlets about what they perceived as forced political bias.

Really they're upset? I don't see why.

My question is what is biased about demanding that your students use reliable reference materials during their assignments?

You know there is a reason that Fox News is constantly being mocked on late night television and the Daily Show. Because it is nakedly a propaganda machine for conservatives, big business, and the Republican party.

Personally I think that the only people who take issue with this syllabus are Fox News viewers.

Everybody else would simply say, "Makes sense to me."

You know sometimes the only REAL difference between Fox News and The Onion, is that The Onion admits that it is doing parody.

Bill Maher wonders if Fox News even knows what media bias is?

Courtesy of HBO:  

If there's one drum the right wing likes to bang it's the one about the "liberal media", which, by law, must appear in every right-wing editorial or come out of the mouths of every Fox News and radio show pundit at least four times a day or Rupert Murdoch strips you of your wingnut accreditation. 

Claiming "liberal bias" is like a tick. If you make up a scandal and it doesn't get reported to your satisfaction, it's not because the whole Solyndra thing was a great big nothingburger, it's because the liberal media is protecting the president. If Sarah Palin says something stupid and it gets reported, it's not because Sarah Palin said something stupid. It's because the liberal media has it out for strong conservative women who quit their jobs and do nothing for years. 

And to this end, Fox News' website now has this thing called "BIAS ALERT." And each day, in bright red letters, they post some example of what they think is "liberal bias." 

Except there's only one small problem: it's almost never an example of media bias. What they seem to have uncovered is that ...grab hold of something ...not everyone is a Republican. 

I think Maher really nails it here,

You know the idea of Fox News attempting to point out media bias in other news outlets is kind of like a New York streetwalker calling a young woman wearing high heels a whore.

And it is almost exactly like the pedophile I posted about yesterday screaming "faggot" at the top of his lungs while buggering young boys at every opportunity. Same thing only, if anything, Fox News may be even MORE shameful and disgusting.

I wonder if it is possible to seek psychiatric help on behalf of a media giant?