Amen to this question: ‘What the hell is happening in Ferguson, Mo.?’
GETRELIGION.ORG — In Ferguson, Mo. — dubbed “Baghdad, USA” by The Huffington Post and labeled a “A CITY ON EDGE” in a banner headline by today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Wednesday’s arrests of two prominent journalists for the apparent crime of doing their jobs caused a Twitterstorm.
The social media outrage produced some, um, religious overtones.
Jesus, this from @WesleyLowery’s account of his arrest: http://t.co/kTTstW6Z5C pic.twitter.com/wU3rteYXu4
— Andrew Beaujon (@abeaujon) August 14, 2014
I just called Ferguson police chief to ask about @WesleyLowery and @ryanjreilly, told him what I knew. His response: “Oh, God.”
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 14, 2014
What the hell is happening in Ferguson, Mo? Reporters getting arrested while sitting in McD’s filing stories??? http://t.co/lsk4IUpCwI
— Kelly McBride (@kellymcb) August 14, 2014
Those of us who write for GetReligion are religion journalists. But first of all, we are journalists. As such, I can’t help but say “Amen!” to the question by McBride, a leading expert on media ethics at the Poynter Institute.
Related post: Pod people: Vigils, protests and church activism in wake of #Ferguson
Related post: In #Ferguson, a tale of two churches — one white, one black
Related story: Amid chaos and protests, a Church of Christ in Missouri seeks calm
Related story: Community prayer vigil at Church of Christ in Ferguson, Mo., draws 300
These items appear online at GetReligion.org and in the online edition of The Christian Chronicle.