Exceptionalist Position of CNN in Covering News Reports:

Pop Benedict XVI remarks and Muslims reactions
Fatima Kamali Chirani

"The medieval emperor's "negative words" did not "express my personal convictions'". (1) This is Pope Benedict XVI talks, thirteen day after his remarks about Muslims. The Pop's speech and Muslim's reactions was so important for American popular media, CNN, that at least nine news reports concerned them. The regarded point in this events, is a remarkable portray of violate Muslim's reactions, CNN not only transformed Pop's remarks about "spreading' Islam 'by the sword. "(2) several time, but also created a violate space by explaining fire-bombed Christian places and Muslims' treatments to change their relations with West. So this style of writing news in CNN is a meaningful style in making a knowledgeable and correct portray of Christianity (American Religion), and Violate, illogical and unknowledgeable portray of Islam.
I am going to consider the CNN news reports, twenty days after Pop's remarks on Islam and Violence, in the frame of American exceptionalism, because this explanation of Muslim reactions and Christianity violated target is new explanation of "we" and "others" in American minds (Shafer, 1991:105). The belief of "City upon a Hill" led Americans look at other religions contempt full. Robert Wuthnow (1998) works into the condition of American religious structure since World War II. An extremely penetrating, nuanced, largely convincing account of what is really happening to American religion and an account worthy of comparison is in this book. Studying this book is a good way for understanding how Americans look at themselves as religious people. The other attempts were done in this field by Peter W. Williams (1999) and Jeff Haynes (1998). Another attempt is about Media function in global process, written by James Curran in 2002. Finally Deborah L Madison has a good investigation about American exceptionalism (1998) that is a good reference for my essay.

Old roots of American Exceptionalism
Before I beginig my discussion, I have to consider some important concepts, I think going to these arena, American exeptionalism and its puritan roots is useful for continuing this discussion about American news work on Pop's remarks about Muslims. American exeptionalism has been historically referred to as the perception that the United States differs qualitatively from other developed nation, because of its unique origins, national credo, historical evolution and distinctive political and religious institutions. The term was first used by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831. (3) Although factors like The American Revolution and Republicanism, World War II, immigration and the availability of resources, and the Cold War had had influence on expressing American exceptionalism, in this subject my focus is on its Puritan roots. If we notice the American history, we find that Christian religion parallels the attempt to structure colonies, had important influence on American cultural Identity and this process had direct connection with forming American exceptionalism.(L Madsen, 1998: 16 @ 17). So this Religion in New world had a special form; the earliest ideologies of English colonists in the country were embodied by the Protestantism of puritan settlers of New England. Many Puritans with American leanings embraced a middle ground between strict Calvinist predestination and a less restricting theology of Divine Providence. They believed God had mad a covenant with their people and had chosen them to lead the other nations of the earth. One Puritan leader, John Winthrop, metaphorically expressed this idea as a "City upon a Hill", that the puritan community of New England should serve as a model community for the rest of the world. This metaphor is often used by proponents of exceptionalism (4). In The American Promise this subject is titled by "Church, Covent, and Conformity"(L Roark and others,2000:112@ 113), this part explained how Winthrop and three other men signed the original convent of first Boston Church in 1630, and this convent became a base for American society and politic. The puritan's deep morality values remained part of the national identity of the United States for centuries, remaining influential to the present day (5). Although in the late twentieth century the protestant church control over the larger culture in America became more but, a brief revisiting of the two non- protestant traditions previously discussed will begin to illustrate how the pragmatic approach to religion associated with Puritanism now coming to expression in other traditions. At numerous catholic colleges and universities in the United States, interpretation of meaning of Catholic spirituality has become less otherworldly and more pragmatic since the 1960s (W.Williams, 1999:88). So it seems that Christianity with all of its traditions becomes a part of American identity, and it is an important factor for priding and feeling proud of exceptionality from others.

American exceptionalism in Covering News Report in CNN
In September 15, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg in Germany quoted 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus. "God," the emperor, as the pope quoted, said, "is not pleased by blood -- and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature." A transcript of Pope's remarks obtained by The Associated Press television network reads: "In the seventh (sura, or chapter of the Quran), the emperor comes to speak about jihad, holy war "(6). So this event resulted in to some Muslims reactions in the world.
Some western media covered these events to the entire world; CNN which is one of the most important agencies in the world (especially in America) also did it. There are some important points in the style and policy of CNN news about these events.
First of all, prioritizing new objectives in CNN; according to James Curran discussion two liberal objectives are important in every media policy- watchdog oversight, information, debate and representation facilitate the expression of conflict and difference, and social conciliation assistance.(2002:239) So it seems these two objectives were under the American interests, American exceptionalism in "Pop's remarks and Muslim's reactions" news. First objective for explaining some the challenge between Islam religion as "other religion", and Pop's position as "self religion". Second making an innocent, knowledgeable and right portray of pop reactions to show American religion the right statue in the world.
Second, using some words for explaining Muslims, reactions that are reminiscent of Violence. I mean CNN not only transformed Pop's remarks about the existence of basic violence in Islam affairs, every time in reports, but also portrayed a kind of violence in Muslim reactions, that acknowledged Pop's remarks in audience eyes.
In September 15, 2006, reactions like "condemning his remarks", "provoking street protests", "ambassador", "gathering 100 demonstrators in an anti-Vatican protest", "expressed anger" and "marched in cities" are attributed to Muslims, when these pictures are completed with an explosion in Christianity place! "Meanwhile, a youth center run by the Greek Orthodox Church in the Gaza Strip was slightly damaged by a small explosion on Friday, witnesses told Reuters. It was unclear if the blast was connected to pope's comments."(7) Although in these sentences, Muslims are not responsible for blasting, bringing them, just after Muslims objections to Christian Leader's remarks, has meaning for audiences!
In September 16, 2006, CNN explained Pop's sadness about offended Muslims, "Pope Benedict XVI has said he is "very upset" that his speech on Islam offended Muslims and expressed his respect for their faith, according to the Vatican."(8) so in this narrative we could see the process that Christian leader express his upset about Muslims misunderstanding, but CNN didn't stay on this state and talked about a group that accepted responsibility of " fire- bombed in West bank". Although this information about the group "Lions of Monotheism" was acknowledge with "Palestinian security and secret sources" but CNN used it three times in News of 7:49 and 11:36 in september16, and September 17, 2006! (9)
In September 17, 2006, CNN entitled his report with this sentence: "Pope 'deeply sorry' for Muslim fury" and started it: "Pope Benedict XVI has said he is "deeply sorry" for the reaction to his comments on Islam and that he quoted a medieval text about holy wars did not reflect his personal thoughts."(10) In this news bolded blends "churches in West Bank fire-bombed". the audience in this created space is faced to reactions of Muslims in one hand and regret of Christian leader from this reactions on the hand, I mean we could see violate actions "Fire- bombed" in parallel to Pop's explanation about his remarks, "spreading Islam by the sword"!
"Pope invites Muslim envoys to meeting" this title in September 23, 2006 is enough for challenging between Pop and Muslims!(11) The religious leader invited another religion's followers to calm. This style of covering news, in fact attributed opposite meaning of calm and meeting to this followers: Violence!
Finally CNN with this title finished this tragedy in September 25, 2006:" Pope: 'Total and profound respect for Muslims'". (12) This title with flowing of artistic narratives of CNN has some meanings, one important meaning could be Pop's performance to turn off the fire, turn off the Violence that was done by Muslims and the danger that threatened Christian places!

American Religion Is a calm Message
CNN position in transforming and representing this event is a clear position of American Exceptionalism. CNN used this event as implement for belittling Islam "the others religion" as in violence and illogical religion, and Keeping Christianity ward as victim of violence and leader of dialogue and calm messenger. This process make right position of Pop, Christian Leader on Public opinions and it is in parallel of American interests, American Policy not only was noticed by audience outside of the American land but also a variety of religions in America are his target, too. According to Jeff Haynes (1998:37), Islam is the swiftest growing religion in the United states and in the early 1990s there were between three and five million Muslims in the USA (Gardell, 1996:48,Nyang, 1998:520), so American policy for keeping his ward in Exceptionalist roots, try to represent the Christianity faith in public rostrum, influenced media like CNN.

References:
1- Curran, J, (2002) Media and Power, New York, Routledge
2- Gardell, M, (1996) Behold T make all things new!Black militant Islam and the American apocalypse, in D. Westerlund (ed) Questioning the Secular State. The Worldwide Resurgence of Religion in Politics, London: Hurst
3- Haynes, J, (1998) Religion in Global Politics, New York, Longman
4- Nyang, S, (1988)Islam in North America, in S. Sutherland, L. Houlden, P, Clarke and F. Hardy (eds) The World's Religions, London: Routledge
-5 Schweiger, B, (1991) Religion In The American South: Protestants And Others In History And Culture, London, UNC Press.
6- W. Williams, (1999) Perspectives on American Religion and Culture, Malden, Blackwell Publishers.
7- Wuthnow, R, (1998), The Restructuring of American Religion: Society and Faith Since World War II, Princeton University Pres


Web logs:
1-http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/22/pope.islam/index.html
2- - http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/16/pope.islam.0750/index.html
3- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism
4- http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/15/pope.islam/index.html
5-(3)
6-(4)
7- (4)
8 – (2)
9- (2) @ (10)
10- http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/17/pope.islam.1050/index.html
11-(1)
12- http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/25/pope.muslims/index.html