I’M FAIRLY CERTAIN ROBERT ALLEN ZIMMERMAN was not thinking about writing news, AP Stylebook, or even the NYT Manual of Style and Usage when he penned the song in the headline. Lyrics Note 1
As an old (in all respects) reporter and editor, I am saddened by the amateurs now plaguing the web and tube.
BACK IN THE DAY, if a reporter wrote, Rev. So-n-so (pick a verb), the editor, if the editor was any good at all (I was) would challenge the reporter: “Who said so-n-so was reverend?”
According to Merriam-Webster (now owned by Britannica — is anything American anymore?),
- Reverend definition is - worthy of reverence : revered.2
The editor would tell the obviously novice reporter that when referring to a preacher, a pastor, a priest, rabbi or other ordained or self-proclaimed minister that the article THE must precede the title “reverend.”
We all know “reverends” who are NOT reverend.
All religions have them.
Occasionally they do something so disgusting or illegal that their actions are closely examined by the constabulary.
Because “reverend” is only an honorific, it should follow the article the.
This screed about amateur writing was prompted by articles about THE Rev. Raphael Warnock’s election to the U.S. Senate from Georgia.
THE Rev. Mr. Warnock apparently appreciates the wisdom of ex-President Obama’s preacher, THE Rev. Jeremiah Wright .
Ignorance at “name” media
MSN editors either don’t understand the word “reverend” or believe anyone who claims to be a “reverend” is, indeed, “reverend. It’s web site includes
- A new Georgia GOP ad attacking Raphael Warnock shows the Democratic hopeful praising Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a controversial pastor who has been scrutinized for preaching criticism against the United States.3
FoxNews is no better.
- A newly-resurfaced video shows Rev. Raphael Warnock defending Rev. Jeremiah Wright's controversial "God Damn America" sermon, arguing that it was "Christian preaching at its best."4
The Washington Examiner reports that
- Hours of Democratic Rev. Raphael Warnock's sermons are being put under the political microscope as he seeks to oust appointed Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler.5
Smaller organizations can be forgiven for what this scrivener considers poor editing.
The Christian Post notes that
- Reverend Raphael Warnock has preached that Jesus was a “poor Palestinian prophet.” This is not only false, it is targeted hate speech that only touches the surface of what he believes.6
It’s funny, but the late Johnny Cash knew better than MSN, and FoxNews.
Cash sang about The Reverend Mr. Black.7
Sources
1. Lyrics to The times they are a-changin: https://tinyurl.com/y6g9lshn
2. Reverend definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverend
3. MSN: https://tinyurl.com/yxr4rrc3
4. FoxNews: https://tinyurl.com/yyqlyxc7
5. Washington Examiner: https://tinyurl.com/y52jmjot
6. Christian Post: https://tinyurl.com/y5zzylt8
7. Lyrics to The Reverend Mr. Black: https://tinyurl.com/y5rdbtlq
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.
Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.
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