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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Heading to Harvard Ashland Elks celebrate Mother's Day Police Reports Jackson County declares drought disaster Thousands in tools stolen from behind Ruby's restaurant in Ashland Education Heading to Harvard Rising from the ashes Ashland High School again earns national honors Preschool's future not yet secure Ashland Middle School student spearheads Nepal relief effort Environment Jackson County declares drought disaster Ashland publisher offers prize for environmental book Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Stopping fire in its tracks Some trails, roads remain closed due to controlled burn Business Ashland joins in Craft Beer Week with toast at Standing Stone on Wednesday Cars We Remember: Noted musician unravels 55-year Nash Rambler mystery 'Fill'er up' will mean with beer, not gas Ride & Drive: 2015 BMW 428i Gran Coupe Ashland Safeway closes Thursday, to reopen as Haggen on Sunday Politics and elections Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability City of Ashland to consider making recorder position appointive, not elective Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Gray's death Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics State News Oregon's snowpack at just 11 percent of average Lack of snow nixes ski portion of popular Central Oregon race Bill under debate in Oregon would limit livestock antibiotics Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Death Notices Death Notices Ronald Mitchell Betts Dickie Miles Hayes Death Notices Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories App Finder: Best cycling apps Thompson-Siporen earns three MWL titles in first day of district meet Rich Garven: Pumping out some Deflategate thoughts Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Clive McFarlane: Football ethics take center stage High school Thompson-Siporen earns three MWL titles in first day of district meet Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Ayers pitches Eagles past Grizzlies Raiders Maguin, Parks, Sanders highlight first day of CCC track meet Ashland boys sweep doubles, beat GP Southern Oregon University Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Raiders Maguin, Parks, Sanders highlight first day of CCC track meet SOU lands two on all-CCC softball team See you in August Same old Raiders Voices Latest Stories Our View: Focus on the basics Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas Dianne Williamson: Showing cards necessary in honest race talks Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability Our View: Elected or appointed? Editorial Our View: Focus on the basics Our View: Elected or appointed? Our View: Change is brewing Our View: Forest work is a bargain Our View: What price history? Letters Letters to the Editor, May 14 (No heading) Letters to the editor: Tuesday, May 12 Letters to the Editor, May 8 Letters to the Editor, May 6 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ambrose spins a conservative fantasy Guest Opinion: Restoring the Plaza's sense of place Guest Opinion: Making conservation a game Guest Opinion: A good day to act Guest Opinion: Allegations unfair to Dr. Tomashefsky Columns Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability Ashland by the numbers Chris Honoré: Supreme Court grapples with tradition, suffrage Guest Opinion: Ambrose spins a conservative fantasy Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Ashland Calendar, Thursday, May 14 4 Things To Do This Weekend Movie listings: May 15-21 Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Steve Poltz, Grant-Lee Phillips at Old Ashland Armory Theater Ticket Availability Departing Ashland Independent Film Festival programmer talks about what makes a good movie Ticket availability Ticket Availability OSF to commission three new 'American Revolutions' plays Music The Farr Side: Contest open for singer-songwriters The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Interview: Country singer Suzy Bogguss enjoying life on the road The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Visual Art Movies Movie review: ‘Mad Max’ is a fresh, fantastic approach to a classic idea Your A-to-Z guide to the ‘Mad Max’ franchise Movie listings: May 15-21 'Wild Tales' is twisted, dark and lovely Movie review: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ will leave your inner 12-year-old giggling with glee Food and Drink Taqueria Picaro takes over Tabu space Owner of Mix and Amuse to bring Flip burger joint to Ashland Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories   Looking Up: Jupiter heading toward Venus Quills: Minimalist group celebrates having more satisfaction with less stuff Betty Montgomery: Longleaf pines making a comeback Season Stepp: Use pink lemonade in recipes William Keesler: Home alone with Arty Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Mocha Musings Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Focus on the basics ... Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, May 15 ... Our View: Focus on the basics ... Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, May 15 ... Kent Bush: Moral and ethical standards need to be higher Comment By Kent Bush More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Kent Bush More Content Now Posted May. 12, 2015 at 6:28 AM By Kent Bush More Content Now Posted May. 12, 2015 at 6:28 AM » Social News I really hate it when people endear themselves to the religious right and then fail to use that platform responsibly. To me, Jesus isn’t some celebrity’s name to drop to try to impress people. He isn’t part of a political platform or point of view. When you represent people of faith, the bar is raised. The standards of ethical and moral correctness have to be the highest. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. In Biblical stories, David was a shepherd boy. When he faced the giant Goliath, he showed no fear because he had already killed a lion and a bear protecting his flock. He went on to kill Goliath and end his attacks on the soldiers of Israel. Later David became king of his people. But what happens when the shepherds start fleecing the sheep instead of protecting them? Somehow, Todd Starnes has used his conservative point of view to make inroads with social conservatives. But he often plays a little fast and loose with the truth and that is no way to behave when you are broadcast by Christian media outlets. Last week, Starnes used his daily radio spot to berate President Barack Obama and the liberal media for not speaking out about the death of a 25-year-old officer in New York City. Of course, he framed the officer’s death in a false-equivalence with the Baltimore protests and riots because of the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of the police. Starnes’ piece ran Tuesday morning. Obama had already commented and most media outlets – whether liberal or not - with any national interest had already covered the unfortunate death well before Starnes’ comments aired. Via a Twitter exchange, Starnes defended himself for his inaccurate comments by stating that he had to record his piece before the President or media had responded. He said it was accurate when he recorded it. I’m not sure when he hit the record button on that segment, but it must have been within minutes of the officer’s death. Facts are facts, Starnes has an anti-Obama “us against them” narrative that he has to maintain. He has not – and likely will not – correct his erroneous claims. That is unfortunate. It is a black eye not only for Starnes, but for the stations with whom he is affiliated. But the problem goes beyond pundits who push a point of view. Mike Huckabee should have no problem with credibility with the religious right. They don’t get more religious or more right than Southern Baptist pastors. But Huckabee has also been a little lax when it comes to how he makes money lately. Huckabee is famous for dropping more than 100 pounds. Like Jared from Subway, Huckabee has endorsed weight loss products. However, one plan includes medically unproven uses of cinnamon and chromium picolinate to assist in weight loss and balancing blood sugar. Anecdotes are not evidence and claiming that these things can work is one thing but endorsing them as a cure for diabetes is far from scientifically proven. Like Huckabee said on Sunday morning shows, if that is the worst thing anyone can find against him, he is a pretty good candidate. Alas, it isn’t. Huckabee rented out his email list to a company that claims there is a cure for cancer if people will just perform some sort of holy acrostic puzzle with randomly selected Bible verses. That may have worked for Tom Hanks in “The DaVinci Code” but if that is what you are banking on to cure your cancer, you might need to seek a second opinion. Huckabee said he never endorsed the cancer cure and it is no different than media outlets advertising “catheters and adult diapers.” Well, one way it is different is that catheters and adult diapers are real and the people who order those from advertisers actually get what they pay for. I understand that many people want to see someone like Huckabee do well at the polls because there are parts of his resume that are very appealing to people of faith. I want to like him too. It’s just hard when you see him taking advantage of people by pushing false products and false narratives to build audience and pad bankrolls. Kent Bush is publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star and can be reached at [email protected]. By Kent Bush More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Kent Bush More Content Now Posted May. 12, 2015 at 6:28 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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