The New York Times has published an article that perpetuates the propaganda of anti-gay organizations, falsely accusing supporters of marriage equality of harassment and intimidation. Brad Stone’s article, which appeared in the Business section, is full of hyperbole and inflammatory generalizations that are not worthy for print.
In their article they say "For the backers of Proposition 8, the state ballot measure to stop single-sex couples from marrying in California, victory has been soured by the ugly specter of intimidation.
Some donors to groups supporting the measure have received death threats and envelopes containing a powdery white substance, and their businesses have been boycotted.
The targets of this harassment blame a controversial and provocative Web site, eightmaps.com"
This isn’t journalism. It is anti-gay propaganda. The vast majority of marriage equality supporters are decent, law abiding citizens. No arrests have been made in connection with the isolated incident involving the alleged mailing of a white powdery substance to Prop 8 supporters. There have been no arrests of marriage equality supporters for death threats or acts of intimidation.
The article also perpetuates the notion that boycotts are somehow equivalent to harassment. How does one harass a business owner by taking his or her business elsewhere?
This kind of propaganda and political scapegoating is nothing new. It was used by those who opposed desegregation of schools and businesses in the 1950s and ’60s. Those who participated in boycotts and protests were blamed for numerous social ills and accused of intimidation.
If you object to this kind of anti-gay propaganda being published by the New York Times, please contact:
Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Chairman & Publisher: publisher@nytimes.com
Scott H. Heekin-Canedy, President, General Manager: president@nytimes.com
Crossposted from Salinas Valley Equality.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
New York Times Demonizes Supporters of Marriage Equality
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5 comments:
I love how they call boycotting and protesting prop 8 supporters "intimidation". I've been particularly amused by the hypocrisy of the prop 8 campaign's caterwauling about such "intimidation". Weren't THEY the ones who sent out letters to businesses and corporations (prior to Nov 4, mind you) that donated money to the No on 8 campaign threatening to publish their identities unless said businesses also donated an equal amount of money to Yes on 8?
When the Southern Baptist Convention and those of their ilk organize boycotts & protests of lgbt-friendly corporations like Disney (and countless others), they are exercising their rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. When we do the same thing, it's "intimidation".
These idiots don't know the meaning of the word "intimidation". Try being a queer person in this country and dealing w/ incessant proselytizing by religious fanatics, physical and verbal assaults by homophobic mothbreathers, concerted efforts by coalitions of religious non-profit organizations(e.g.,Focus on the Family) with millions of $ at their disposal who are daily trying to take away what few rights you do have while flooding the media with outright lies about you, worrying you could be fired from your job if your boss discovers you are gay, the constant threat of eviction....etc, ad nauseum. THAT's intimidation, morons.
Great blog you got here, btw!
The New York Times is typically a left winged newspaper and the first time they write something that the gay community does not agree with, you are about to write them off. They are probably the most gay friendly mainstream media, so I would think twice before turning them into villains. All they were doing was showing the ugly truth, it is a fact that some in the gay community have threaten the lives of backers of Prop 8. Its an ugly piece of history that you try to forget, all the New York Times did was express that among other truths. Sorry if you hate reality, then tell the people who harass and threaten the lives of others and articles like this will not be written.
For a reputable news source such as the New York Times to print that is just a marker of how easily manipulated our so-called free press is. I would have hoped that they would have taken the time to print an insightful, fair and well researched piece. And because people believe this publication would do that, this "news story" is all the more powerful. Don't believe everything you read.
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Maybe they hope because they write it--that it will become "true" and the masses will follow suit.
As a recovering Southern Baptist, I have a pretty good idea about how the Convention operates and what it has been saying and doing for decades. Suffice it to say that their sense of being intimidated and their justification for "defending themselves and society" sounds remarkably like yours.
They will protest that the illegal and heinous activities take by some individuals is quite different from the carefully considered "official" response. And many members are sincerely aghast at the things that are associated with them.
But it doesn't change the reality. Many KKK members are also SBC members, and deserve the opprobrium that SBC does actually express from time to time.
Maybe some GLBT will find the courage to speak out against those on "their side" who are wiling to sacrifice a healthy society in their pursuit of political victory.
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