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But, as the saying goes, they're no Billy Graham. "[Billy] Graham's unifying influence, experts say, stems in no small measure from his careful rhetoric and avoidance of controversy — traits that Graham's offspring have not yet displayed. … If the two Graham siblings have a harder edge than their father, say some family observers, it probably reflects the bumpy road they traveled growing up Graham."

Speaking of a harder edge, a sidebar on evangelicals and politics (which, at least on the website, runs without a byline) oddly focuses on the Christian Coalition. In a historical piece on the subject, this would make sense. But the writer uses the group as an example of current power brokering. That's a strange choice, since the Christian Coalition has been besieged by internal controversy and a loss of interest both from within its members and on the Hill. It's still around, sure, but it's hardly where the action is these days.

Meanwhile, in other Graham news, The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association may have priced its property too high as it moves from Minnesota to North Carolina. At least that's what some developers are saying. The folks in charge of selling the property disregard the complaint, saying the $21 million asking price is just fine. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association also faces problems with the sale over whether the building is in a historical district, says the paper.

Edinburgh bans photos of school Nativity plays and concerts
This is not a joke. The city of Edinburgh, Scotland, has banned parents from filming school Nativity plays and Christmas concerts, saying that the images could be exploited by pedophiles. "Authorities have to recognize the risk of pedophiles," said an Edinburgh council spokeswoman, who calls it a "commonsense" approach. "This has been introduced purely as a precaution."

Any parent wanting to film their child must get the permission from all other parents. If they object, the school will film the performance and edit out the child of the parent who objected.

Michael Haimes, formerly of Scotland Yard's Obscene Publications Squad, told the BBC that the council's decision made "no sense." The Timesmocks the ban. Others defend it, saying the schools have a responsibility to do all they can to defend children against predators.

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December (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46