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Thursday, March 5, 2009

Homo What She Said

Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 2:30 PM

A letter of complaint that Slog reader Nicole sent to NPR:

Dear NPR Ombudsman: I generally think of NPR as one of a very few journalism organizations in the United States that makes a sincere effort to produce honest, thoroughly researched, and largely objective journalism. And for this, I am very grateful.

However, the recent article "Backers Of Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Face Backlash" by Karen Grigsby Bates, completely flies in the face of that reputation. Since when should civil boycotts be described as a witch hunt? Should the public be discouraged from allowing their personal ethics to decide where to spend their money? If an individual can be lauded for donating money to support a proposition that they do approve of, then why should another individual be attacked for choosing not to spend their money with companies that actively support movements seeking to limit the rights of other people?

This is a very one sided article that reads as negating the value of all that our society has gained through these types of peaceful and civil protests (the improved civil rights of African Americans and women, for example). I have come to expect better from NPR and hope to see you guys live up to your reputation in the future.

Comments (15) RSS

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"you guys" ha ha ha

Posted by that'll teach those guys on March 5, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Well said. Brava, Nicole.

Posted by Julie in Eugene on March 5, 2009 at 2:48 PM

Indeed! How dare Prop 8 contributors cite the 1st amendment, I yelled at NPR this morning... Don't talk about 1st amendment rights and don't complain about non-violent protests outside your businesses as long as your henchman, Fred Phelps, is out there disrupting funerals and trying to put anti-gay monuments in public parks... http://www.shewired.com/article.cfm?id=2….

Posted by Larkshead on March 5, 2009 at 2:50 PM

We made a similar comment this morning at the ACLU of Illinois:
Free Speech Doesn't Mean No One Will Dis….

Posted by Allie on March 5, 2009 at 3:01 PM

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

Posted by No wonder nobody takes you seriously on March 5, 2009 at 3:06 PM

I heard the piece this morning, and my first reaction was the same--but then I thought "oh yeah, they're just trying to appear 'fair and balanced' and present two views."

Then I forgot about it.

Posted by NPR Junkie on March 5, 2009 at 3:10 PM

That's a helluva lot more eloquent than the "KGB can suck it" that I was gonna go with.

Posted by Original Andrew on March 5, 2009 at 3:10 PM

Yeah, I like NPR, but they have jumped on the "fair and balanced" bandwagon to a degree that I sometimes can't stomach. Fair, objective coverage doesn't mean you always have to give the nutjob minorities and the irrational hatemongers an equal voice if they aren't, in fact, equal in numbers, reasoning, or legal standing.

Posted by balderdash on March 5, 2009 at 3:14 PM

I dunno -- isn't that NPR story a good thing? I mean, don't we want bigots to know that there are consequences for bigotry?

Posted by mattymatt on March 5, 2009 at 3:27 PM

@5: I see what you did there! You spelled it "whine" but used it in a sentence like "wine!" What a penetrating wit.

Posted by That's Why EVERYBODY takes your anonymous opinions seriously on March 5, 2009 at 3:30 PM

Well said, Nicole.

Posted by kim in portland (formerly just kim) on March 5, 2009 at 3:59 PM

Fuck NPR. Radio is as about as relevant today as printed newspapers. Let this dinosaur go extinct.

Posted by Little Lulu Does The Hulu on March 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM

That was an excellent letter of complaint, eloquent and to the point.

Posted by TK on March 5, 2009 at 4:03 PM

I liked the bit about the creamery owner in Sacramento who was shocked at the protests outside of his storefront after it was revealed he donated $20,000 to yes on 8.

he was mystified (mystified!) at these protests because his creamery had "always enjoyed an excellent relationship with the gay community".

THAT IS NOT AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP.

wtf?

Posted by kt on March 5, 2009 at 6:46 PM

I didn't hear a lot of "lauding" in that story.

Posted by DOUG. on March 6, 2009 at 8:13 AM