Exchange outs Politico reporter as anti-Catholic bigot

Read this exchange between a woman from Sussex County and Politico reporter Matt Friedman.  It perfectly illustrates what is wrong with so-called "journalism" today.  Politico's Matt Friedman behaves like an ideological combatant -- as if he were the media wing of ANTIFA. 

In this exchange, Friedman places our Judeo-Christian tradition alongside Wicca (the worship of Satan) and trashes Roman Catholicism.  Friedman defends Islam and its practices, including Sharia Law,  as "no worse" than what Christians and Jews get up to.  Friedman also trashes Buddhism. 

Friedman willfully ignores modern day slavery -- with its human trafficking and child exploitation.  He clearly shows that he would rather try to attach someone to the slavery that happened over 150 years ago than to address the slavery happening today.  He even stoops to trashing the Roman Catholic church in an attempt to deflect blame away from his ideological comrades. 

No Republican, conservative, decent Democrat, or traditional liberal should ever be foolish enough to place their trust in this shill again.

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:09 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: LD 24

Good afternoon Matt,

Take a look at this.  Can you believe our Democrat candidates are standing next to a flag with Wiccan symbols on it?  The purpose of this flag is to show that witchcraft is on equal footing with our Judeo-Christian tradition.  Please look into this and let me know what you are doing about it.

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From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:13 PM
To: Sussex Gal
Subject: Re: LD 24

Hey. I don’t think I’m interested. Unless Wiccans fought a war to preserve and spread slavery…

I’d need something more than the murder of Hansel and Gretel.

NOTE:  Who is Friedman accusing of fighting a war "to preserve and spread slavery"?   A Hank Williams Jr. flag, a Dukes of Hazard tattoo, is not the same as fighting a war "to preserve and spread slavery". 

Subject: FW: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:16 pm
To: Sussex Gal

*attempted murder. Gotta brush up on my fairy tales.

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From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:40 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: FW: LD 24

So you are good with devil worship?  I guess you forget all those child-molestation trials a few years ago.  Short memory.  

Well, if slavery is your issue, then how about that Islamic crescent? 

Check out where the FIFA cup will be played:   https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/qatar-abuse-of-world-cup-workers-exposed/

This is happening today.  Now will you do something?

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:45 pm
To: Sussex Gal

So in that case I guess you’re going to condemn the Catholic church, too?   

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From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:52 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Why did you go there?  Condemn the Catholic church for what Matt?  Why would I condemn the Catholic Church?  Did a Bishop use slave labor to build the new FIFA stadium?

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:54 pm
To: Sussex Gal

You are saying that Wiccans are somehow responsible for child molestation because some people who practice the religion went on trial for it. And you don’t see how that idea is turned around on Catholicism?

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From: Sussex Gal

Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 2:21 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Matt, are seriously trying to argue that the Roman Catholic religion is the same as the practice of Wicca witchcraft?  Are you saying that Church practice uses sex in the same way that Wiccans do?  What is wrong with you?  The Church calls what some clergy did by its proper name: evil.  Wicca rejects that.  There is no evil in Wicca.  

Why have you deflected on the issue of the slavery happening today?  Why won't you address that?

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 2:27 pm
To: Sussex Gal

This is one of the dumbest exchanges I’ve ever had.

You’re painting an entire religion with the actions of a few. If Wicca is responsible for child molestation because a Wiccan priest committed the act, then by your logic Catholicism is responsible for the child molestation committed by some of its priests. That’s your logic, not mine.

And why do the abhorrent labor practices in Qatar represent the entirety of the world’s biggest religion? You’re not going to get an argument from me on how horrible Qatar and some other oil-rich middle-eastern countries treat migrant workers. But don’t you think you could find examples of horrible labor practices and atrocities in predominantly Christian countries? Hindu countries? Buddhist countries? And yet, you’re not holding those religions responsible for the sins committed by some of their practitioners. Why’s that?

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From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 2:58 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Why the insults?  Matt, the Roman Catholic church recognizes evil.  Wicca witchcraft does not.  You put forward YOUR argument that Roman Catholicism and Wicca are on equal footing.  YOU attempted to paint the worship of God and the worship of Satan as one in the same.  It is not my logic, it is your logic.  You raised it.  You argued it.  You own it.  That makes you a bigot.

As for your deflection on behalf of Islam.  Name some religious states (Qatar is an Islamic state) that are doing the same as Qatar?  Name some Christian countries? Hindu countries? Buddhist countries? Name some.  

Now why don't you do your job as a journalist and report fairly on this?  I remember when it was BIG NEWS that a Republican Senate candidate in Delaware was involved in Wicca (but then became a Christian).  Her PAST was a BIG DEAL and got lots of ink.  This is the present.  Report on it.  

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From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:00 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Let me add this.  At a time when slavery is happening right NOW.  When the United Nations says there are 48 million in slavery TODAY.  No candidates should be carrying around banners with symbols on it of nations or ideologies that are involved in the slave trade TODAY!

Instead of dredging in the muck of the past, try opening your eyes to what is going on TODAY.

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From:
Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:16 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Kind of amazing that you don’t even recognize you threw the first insult. Look back at the exchange.

It’s also funny that you’re generalizing about entire religions and calling me a bigot. You can find atrocities committed by people in virtually every major country in the world, by people of virtually every major religion. Yet you only demonize a couple of those religions.

Here’s an example of religious oppression going on in a Buddhist country right now: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/05/rohingya-muslims-driven-myanmar-pictures/. What about ethnic cleansing in Serbia in the early 90s?  It goes on and on and on and on…  

Our constitution does not elevate any religion above any others. If you do, that’s your business. But it’s not my concern.

There is nothing newsworthy about some people holding a banner with the symbol for every religion they could think of. There is something newsworthy about an elected official standing in front of the symbol of the confederacy, which launched a war to separate from the United States so it could perpetuate slavery. That’s my news judgement. I really don’t care if you disagree.  

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Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:09 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

Did you forget Hansel and Gretel?  Yeah, it is amazing.  

I guess you never read up on Wahhabism.  Under some of the most wealthy, dominant sects of Islam, slavery is not only doctrine but it is practiced.  Nations like Qatar practice state slavery.  You don't care.  You called it in one of your emails a "migrant worker" problem and a "labor practices" problem.  No, not "migrant workers", they are slaves.  They have been trafficked.  No, not "labor practices", it is called slavery.

Am I "generalizing" about Sharia law and what it means to women who must live under it?  In your "news judgment" (whatever that is) I guess I am.

Then there is Wicca.  You call it a "religion" and place it on the same level as our Judeo-Christian tradition.  That's sick.  There is nothing religious about the worship of evil.  

Then you smear Buddhism by claiming that a "Buddhist country" is committing religious oppression.  You obviously don't understand Buddhism, because to do that is a rejection of Buddhism, not the practice of it.  That is not the way with Islam, which clearly instructs believers to wage jihad.  When Christians act un-Christian, you cannot blame the teachings of Christ.  But you do and that makes you a bigot.  You look for an excuse to hate and nurture your excuses.

It is much more important for you to play with symbols because you lack the balls to take on the real evil around you.  Wally Edge taught you well. 

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:18 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Wait a second. Didn’t you write that Wicca rejects the concept of evil? Now you’re saying Wicca is “about the worship of evil.” That’s contradictory. But who am I to argue with you, an expert on religion?

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Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 5:00 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

No Matt, when you reject the Judeo-Christian concept of good and evil and embrace "evil" things for their own sake you do end up worshipping evil.  But why am I even trying with you?  You are obviously an apologist for Wiccan witchcraft and maybe you know more than you are letting on.  

Who would have ever thought that we'd get a member of the media to go on the record in defense of Wicca.

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:19 pm
To: Sussex Gal

This is the Qatari flag. I don’t see it on the banner. Do you?

https://www.google.com/search?q=qatar+flag&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJwtbL4Y7WAhUJrFQKHdBSATMQ_AUICigB&biw=1242&bih=559#imgrc=608buoVMPNRIbM:

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From: Sussex Gal

Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:44 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

It is all symbols with you isn't it?  Very childish.  Qatar is an absolute monarchy and its official religion is Islam.  Their particular kind of Islam is Wahhabism.

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:44 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Your. Whole. Story. Pitch. Was. About. Symbols.

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From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 4:18 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

And no, it was about a political rally.  It was about a flag flown at a political rally, not a rock concert.  But you focus on the rock concert and ignore the political rally.  Some reporter!

You are looking at a long dead emblem of a dead country, with nobody alive today who ever carried it into battle, and you are desperately trying to connect people to it.  To apply meaning to it.  That is a punk move.  So that you can feel better than them "redneck" and go home and buy your cheap products made with slave labor and maybe take a look at something on the internet made with slave labor too. 

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:29 pm
To: Sussex Gal

You are sad.

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Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:55 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

Not as sad as a political reporter who ignores campaign rallies but trolls rock concerts looking for a gotcha.  What a joke!

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Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:57 pm
To: Sussex Gal

And Parker Space’s confederate flag tattoo?

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Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 5:18 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

You obviously know his body a whole lot better than I do.

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What is most shocking about this exchange is that Politico's Friedman refuses to call what is happening in Qatar by its real name -- slavery.  In Friedman's eyes it is an issue about how "Qatar and some other oil-rich middle-eastern countries treat migrant workers."  Friedman likens it to an immigration issue (the better to bash Trump?) when, in fact, the United Nations and groups like Amnesty International have clearly identified it as a case of human trafficking and slavery.   But Friedman dismisses it as merely an issue of "labor practices."  So on top of being a bigot, Politico's Matt Friedman is a slavery-denier too. 

Migrant workers in Qatar helping to construct offices for the 2022 World Cup reportedly haven't been paid after a year of toiling in the desert heat in slum like conditions. Sharan Burrow from the International Trade Union Confederation thinks Qatar should be boycotted until fundamental labor laws are in place.