After reading the news story about the woman who was sentenced to prison for lying about a rape, I couldn't help but think about how Oprah Winfrey has been fooled again.  We all remember the most recent episode of Oprah being humiliated by James Frey, author of the fictional autobiography, A Million Little Pieces. We can recall Oprah's determined response of having Mr. Frey back on her show to dress him down in front of her viewers. 

Now we ask, will Oprah do the same for Twyana Davis?  According to the news story, Ms. Davis had sexual relations with her 12—year—old cousin, became pregnant, then abandoned the baby in a dumpster.  Of course when caught, she reported the cause of the pregnancy as a rape.  In an all too familiar path to contrition, part of the 'American way,' she wrote a book and formed a non—profit group.  Her 'story' led to appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and 20/20.

One cannot help but feel that as these types of stories fit into a media template, they merit coverage.  They result in instant celebrity for all participants.  They make everyone 'feel' better because of some new 'awareness.'  In my opinion, these stories get their life from a liberal—leaning, secular—progressive media who do not exercise patience and restraint when 'investigating' these stories, for they simply fit a preconceived model for the reality we are to be given, not necessarily to be experienced.  Surely a deeper, more thoughtful querying into Ms. Davis story would have uncovered enough evidence to withhold any acceptance of her 'true' experience.

Juxtapose this with the current Mark Foley scandal where new revelations are being uncovered about the Capitol Hill pages' complicity in luring and baiting Mr. Foley into compromising situations.  Obviously, Mr. Foley had extremely poor judgment, but the pages are not entirely innocent.  Nor is the media, as we are finding out they had this information for as long Speaker Hastert.  We know now too that the media were given the compromising e—mail and IM (instant message) exchanges by Democrat operatives.  So, as the media and Democrats demand the heads of Republicans for having withheld such scurrilous information at the risk of putting more adolescent pages in an implied sexual predator's way, are they unknowingly putting their necks on the line too?

Oprah should stick to covering what we know is true.  Those axiomatic, self—evident truths that so annoyingly bother us everyday.  You know, the fact that one cannot negotiate with terrorists or maniacal dictators.  History has proven this since, well, since the dawn of man.  We also know what our eyes and ears tell us.  Islamic extremists want to kill Jews no matter how much land the Israelis cede to the Palestinians.  We see their celebrations after 9/11 and know they would rather see Americans dead.  We read about the murder of nuns at the hands of Islamo—fascists after the Pope merely quotes a historical figure, and we know they would just as soon see a world without Christians.

On second thought, maybe Oprah should have Usama Bin Laden, Adam 'Azzam' Gadahn, or Ayman Al—Zawahiri on her program and let him spout on about the oppression from America, how their brand of Islam is so misunderstood and how a simple proselytizing movement towards the religion of peace will save everyone.  Then afterwards maybe the truth will be recognizable to the liberals and leftists of this country.  Barbara Streisand could finally shed her burka.

Tony Moreno writes from Lake Forrest, Illinois.