Newspaper Defends Decision To Run Ad Suggesting President Obama Wants To Shoot Christians

At least, that's according to an advertisement published by Louisiana's Daily Advertiser on Friday, which features a photograph of a Catholic priest who was shot and killed in Mexico in the 1920s. Although the ad (which appears to have been purchased by Agenda 21 LA, an ultraconservative group) blatantly propagates falsehoods about Obama and features a huge caption asking, Will Obama and the Democrats Shoot Catholics and Christians?-- the Gannett-owned newspaper is standing by its decision to run it.

We look at all of the ads, and the decision is made by each market, the paper's president and publisher, Karen J. Lincoln, told ThinkProgress late Friday. This ad did meet our standards.

The Daily Advertiser did not immediately return a request for comment on Saturday.

The photo was used to remind Americans of the true cost of religious freedom, which is apparently under siege, according to the ad  -- in part because of a provision in the Obama administration's health care overhaul law requiring companies to include contraception coverage in their employee health insurance plans.

Religious organizations, led by the U.S. Conference for Catholic Bishops, claim the mandate is a violation of religious freedom, even though the bill exempts religious bodies that solely employ and serve members of their own faith -- such as churches -- from the requirement.

AMERICA is under siege by the same evil (Obama and Democrats) as history shows over and over, reads the ad. To live at this time is an inestimable privilege and a sacred obligation devolves upon us to make right use of our duties to GOD, Family and Country.

Lincoln told ThinkProgress the Daily Advertiser, like most newspapers, screens its ads to ensure that obviously false or inappropriate content is not published. The newspaper apparently does not believe an advertisement suggesting Obama wants to shoot Christians and Catholics meets that definition.

On its website, Agenda 21 LA appears to be a grassroots organization devoted to spreading the truth about the United Nations' Agenda 21 plan, which is allegedly a very real threat to [American] freedoms.  

Agenda 21 is the UN's plan of action related to promoting sustainable development across the globe, an effort to protect fragile environments, combat deforestation and control manmade pollution.