THE TRIBUNE'S VIEW
Christmas fight
By HENRY J. WATERS III, Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune 
I swore I would not revisit the Christmas fight, and I hate to give "traditionalist" Bill O’Reilly another media boost, but in defending himself against what he calls the "secular" media he gets it so wrong I can’t resist.

TRIB TALK

OPEN COLUMN
Tribune article on science, religion was informative
Editor, the Tribune: Thank you for Seth Ashley’s excellent article on science and religion in the Dec. 11 Tribune. It was one of the best discussions of these issues that I have seen in print anywhere. The article really spoke to me, as a religious person who accepts and uses the scientific method and firmly believes that it contributes to the advancement of human knowledge. Micro-organisms are a perfect example of evolution at work, and faith has a very important role in healing.

OPEN COLUMN
Filmgoers should know both sides are suffering
Editor, the Tribune: My friend whose family lives in close proximity to the wall on the Israel side reminded me that everyone is suffering.

President’s media meddling a bad blast from the past
By JULES WITCOVER
The disclosure that President George W. Bush has urged executives of two of the nation’s most influential newspapers not to publish stories on grounds of national security raises critical questions about the responsibilities of the media in wartime.

Media’s hatred of Bush goes unreported
By BILL O’REILLY
It’s no question that the two big stories this year were Hurricane Katrina and the continuing chaos in Iraq. Both contain lessons. Katrina demonstrated just what can happen when the water hits the dam; no branch of government can save you from disaster. Those who didn’t have the smarts or the wherewithal to flee the hurricane got blasted, especially in New Orleans. A metaphor for life: Get smart and depend on yourself. No bureaucracy can protect you from crisis or disaster.

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