From: MediAction@aol.com Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 17:36:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: MEDIAlert! ["B"] - 11-6-97 (Media/Briefs; Web Watch) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX: "MEDIAlert!" - 11.06.97 [Part "B" ONLY] "MEDIA/BRIEFS" -ITEM 1: "Trash TCAN" [The Christian Alert Network]. -ITEM 2: "Poll Positions" [ABC News; AFA]. -ITEM 3: "No Accounting" [Associated Press]. -ITEM 4: "Wrong Headed" [Headway; Ellen DeGeneres]. -ITEM 5: "Cruel Gag" [Salt Lake Tribune; Nebo School District]. -ITEM 6: "Submit!" [Celebrating Our Gay Families]. -ITEM 7: "It's An Honor" [Vice Versa Awards; Q Syndicate]. "WEB WATCH" -ITEM 8: "Alternate Universe" [Alternative Media Guide]. -ITEM 9: "Special Writer" [Oasis; Patricia Nell Warren]. -ITEM 10: "In Force" [NGLTF; Creating Change]. -ITEM 11: "Pro-Blithe" [Blithe House Quarterly]. -ITEM 12: "Decided Voter" [Women's Voting Guide]. -ITEM 13: "Free Thinking" [Corporate Watch]. [Part "A" posted SEPARATELY]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- M E D I A l e r t ! ____________________________ M E D I A / B R I E F S November 6, 1997 Al Kielwasser [1] *** TRASH TCAN. . . . Though lower in profile than some national hate groups, "The Christian Alert Network" (TCAN) appears no less prolific. Exhibiting an obsession with homosexuality that is typical of such Right Wing groups, TCAN publishes and distributes a host of anti-gay action alerts and "fact" sheets. Recent alerts include such titles as "ABC/Disney Pushes Homosexuality" and "AIDS: A Guaranteed Prevention and Cure." Not surprisingly, TCAN's cure for AIDS is to eradicate "homosexual acts," exclusively blamed for the disease. According to TCAN: "Divine law... forbids Christians to willingly and knowingly associate socially with open and practicing fornicators (homosexuals). Forcing our Christian children to 'celebrate' in our public school system this most ungodly lifestyle of choice is tantamount to subversive brainwashing... and we find that extremely offensive and totally unacceptable." Like other alerts, the TCAN's "AIDS" bulletin includes a long list of homophobic "facts," each one followed by its biblical "proof." For example -- "FACT #2: The homosexual lifestyle of choice is clearly and emphatically condemned by God.... PROOF ( Lev 20:13 KJV): 'If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.'" Like other homophobic organizations, TCAN claims that it does not preach violence towards lesbians and gays. Purporting an odd (yet widely accepted) distinction, members insist they hate "the sin" -- not "the sinner." C o n t a c t : The Christian Alert Network, Inc., POB 11746, Killeen, TX 76547-1746, e-mail ctomlin@vvm.com, web-site http://www.vvm.com/~ctomlin/index.htm. [2] *** POLL POSITIONS . . . . The American Family Association has accused ABC News of "quietly burying the results of its own Internet poll, which showed that Americans don't want their children watching same-sex kissing on television." "Disney decided to allow 'Ellen's' out-of-the-closet experimentation with her homosexuality to play in primetime, and I think ABC News hoped this poll would vindicate that decision," said AFA vice-president Tim Wildmon. ABC's survey asked respondents: "Would you allow your child to watch a lesbian kiss on television?" When the poll closed on October 20, 46% of those surveyed said they would allow it, while 54 % indicated they would not. "Now that the poll proved America's distaste for same-sex French-kissing," Wildmon maintains, "ABC wants to bury the results." Wildmon's indignation is matched only by his hypocrisy. Simply because they validate his own bigotry, the results offer an irrefutable "proof." In a recent "USA Today" poll, fully 72% of respondents rejected the AFA's Disney Boycott, yet Wildmon is not likely to suggest that this survey "proves" America's distaste for his group and its tactics. Instead, such polls are dismissed as biased -- or quietly ignored. Obscured in the fallout surrounding these and many similar polls, is a central fact: civil rights and social justice are NOT matters of opinion. Like any bigotry, homophobia always wrong, even (and especially) when it is popular. C o n t a c t : Tim Wildmon, Vice-President, American Family Association, P. O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, MS 38803, tel. 601-844-5036, fax 601-844-9176, e-mail afalert@afa.net; ABC News, 47 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023, tel. 212-456-7777, e-mail abcquest@ccabc.com; "USA Today," 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22229, fax 703-276-5513. [3] *** NO ACCOUNTING FOR HATE . . . . No matter how appropriate or accurate, the word "homophobia" is seldom used by mainstream reporters. This omission obscures the facts of hate -- particularly in crime stories such as Jeff Barnard's, recently filed for the Associated Press (Oct. 27). Reporting the conviction of an avowed homophobe and murderer, Barnard opens with this lead: "A former accountant who admitted killing a lesbian couple after they refused to give him money that he wanted to rekindle his relationship with a Las Vegas stripper was sentenced to death on Monday." The convict -- Robert Acremant -- indicated that he despised lesbians and found it "easier" to kill them. But Barnard's article NEVER refers, directly, to such homophobic hate. Indeed, his lead suggests that the killing was less of a hate crime than a robbery, motivated not by hate, but simple greed. Only later in his story does Barnard provide a hint of context. "The slayings sent a shudder through the gay community of southern Oregon, he writes. "Partners for 12 years, [the victims] had worked for the defeat of a statewide measure to limit the rights of homosexuals and had cared for AIDS victims." C o n t a c t : Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10020-1666, tel. 212-621-1600, fax 212-621-7520, e-mail rgersh@ap.org. [4] *** WRONG HEADED . . . . Targeting African-American conservatives, "Headway" is self-described as "The Magazine for Today's Political Leaders." Unfortunately, the magazine is also a forum for leading homophobes -- intent on scapegoating homosexuality as a (misguided) means of promoting the Right Wing agenda amongst people of color. The October (1997) issue includes such typical tripe as "Diversity Is Not the Same As Perversity," by Ezola Foster. Among the magazine's "founding principles" is a dedication to reducing "immoral behavior on television, in movies and in music lyrics... as it has adverse effects on society, especially our children." In a recent op-ed for "USA Today" (Oct. 16), "Headway" editor Gwenevere Richardson continues that mission -- by attacking sitcom star Ellen DeGeneres. Specifically, Richardson takes umbrage at a comment made by DeGeneres, in which the actress suggested that homophobia can be no more, or less, acceptable on television than racism or any form of bigotry. According to Richardson, however: "Skin color is an immediately obvious and permanent characteristic present at birth; homosexuality is not.... One wonders how DeGeneres and others could have the audacity to compare their situation to that of American blacks." Whatever the merits of her opinion MIGHT have been, Richardson utterly ignores the existence of African-American homosexuals. While important distinctions exist between racism and homophobia, many people do -- in fact -- experience both. C o n t a c t : Gwenevere Daye Richardson, Editor, "Headway Magazine," 13555 Bammel N. Houston, Suite 227, Houston, TX 77066, tel. 800-340-5454 or 713-444-4265, fax 713-583-9534, e-mail wrichardson@gh gcorp.com, web-site http://www.headwaymag.com. [5] *** CRUEL GAG . . . . In an editorial titled "Disgrace in Spanish Fork" (Oct. 24), the "Salt Lake Tribune" strikes a visible blow against homophobia. The newspaper takes exception to a recent decision by officials of the Nebo School District and Spanish Fork High School, who imposed a gag order on lesbian teacher Wendy Weaver -- forbidding any mention of her sexual orientation "to students, staff members or parents of students." According to the "Tribune," this situtaion is "disgraceful and must be rectified." "Weaver justifiably contends that her constitutional rights were violated by the broad gag order," the newspaper notes. "What could Nebo District and Spanish Fork High officials possibly have been thinking when they benched a successful coach for her sexual orientation and then compounded the matter with their bizarre gag order?" "It can only be the result of an irrational fear of a homosexual's influence on students -- or, as it was put in the district's letter to Weaver last July, 'the potential disruption in the school community,'" the editorial suggests. "It is refreshing to note that some of Weaver's students who have been quoted in the news media have shown more maturity than their elders; they have benefited from Weaver's teaching and coaching without worrying about her home life." "And that is the crux of discrimination episodes like this: School officials can discipline teachers based on their conduct, but not on their status," the "Tribune" concludes. "Spanish Fork administrators... deserve all the opprobrium that derives from their shameful actions. They should rescind their cruel gag...." C o n t a c t : James E. Shelledy, Editor, "Salt Lake Tribune," P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, UT 84110-0867, fax 801-237-2316, e-mail letters@mail.sltrib.com, web-site http://www.sltrib.com. [6] *** SUBMIT! . . . . Submissions are now being sought for a new anthology on "Celebrating Our Gay Families." According to PFLAG's Laura Siegel, this book will collect "non-fiction and poetry by heterosexual parents, grandparents, siblings, children, etc., who celebrate their gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender family members." C o n t a c t : For more information, e-mail celebratn@aol.com (or browse http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/celebrations.html); the deadline for submissions is December 1. [7] **** IT'S AN HONOR . . . . Writers, editors, publishers, and artists who work for gay and lesbian publications are invited to enter "the first-ever 'Vice Versa' Awards contest for excellence in the gay and lesbian press." 1997 marks the 50th anniversary of "Vice Versa" -- the "first lesbian publication in North America" -- and to honor that milestone Q Syndicate has convened "a distinguished panel of judges" to select "the finest examples of journalism in the gay and lesbian media." Award categories run the genre gamut -- from "best news article" to "best review" -- and the jury includes professors of journalism and mass communication, community leaders, and journalists representing both the mainstream and alternative media. Q Syndicate is one of the nation's largest providers of syndicated material to the gay and lesbian press. C o n t a c t : David Bianco, Vice Versa Awards Coordinator, tel. 888-383-7911, e-mail ViceVersas@aol.com. W E B W A T C H ________________________ [8] *** ALTERNATE UNIVERSE . . . . Each week, Penny Perkins and the "Alternative Media Guide" offer an original column on media issues -- which often address lesbian and gay concerns. Archived columns include: "Laughter With a Brain" (on lesbian and gay comics), "Post-Gay Pride Month Magazine and Newspaper Extravaganza" (a sampling of "gay and lesbian 'infomedia,' fresh off the web"), and "The Writing on the Wall: What is Alternative Media?" (some "thoughts on the topic" and a guide to several grassroots examples). The "Alternative Media Guide" is a project of The Mining Company [http://altmedia.miningco.com]. [9] *** SPECIAL WRITER . . . . The November issue of "Oasis" -- "the monthly webzine" -- features a cover story on lesbian author and activist Patricia Nell Warren's most-recent book, "Billy's Boy," is due out this month and continues a theme first raised in her classic 1974 novel "The Front Runner" [http://www.oasismag.com/]. [10] *** IN FORCE . . . . The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will broadcast its annual "Creating Change" conference on the world wide web. A first for the Force, this free cybercast intends to broaden access to conference, which takes place in San Diego on November 12-16. "We are very excited to be able to expand the reach of the conference through the use of this technology," said Kerry Lobel, NGLTF's executive director. "It will enable us to train more organizers in more places than ever before" [http://www.ngltf.org]. [11] *** PRO-BLITHE . . . . "Blithe House Quarterly: A Site for Gay Short Fiction" invites readers to browse its premiere issues online. "Web Magazine" has promoted the new publication "clever" and "poignant," noting that: "The author bios read like a Who's Who of independent publishing -- and accordingly, you won't find a cookie-cutter plot line anywhere on the site." Edited by Aldo Alvarez, two issues of "Blithe House" have been published so far; more are on the way [http://www.spectra.net/~aalvarez/BHQ.html]. [12] *** THE DECIDED VOTER . . . . Women Leaders Online (WLO) has announced "an incredibly ambitious plan to build a powerful online Women's Voting Guide on the web." According to WLO, the goal is "to create a site where every woman in the U.S. can go to find out exactly where elected officials and candidates stand on the issues she cares about most." A model of the project is now online [http://wlo.org/vote]. [13] *** FREE THINKING . . . . New at the "Corporate Watch" web site: a critical look at "Free Speech on the Corporate Internet." Does current U.S. Internet policy "threaten to tip the scales of the information economy further towards corporate interests and away from the free exchange of ideas?" That question is asked -- and answered -- by various commentators as they attempt to paint "a big picture view of where we are headed" [http://www.corpwatch.org]. [end] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT MEDIALERTS Distributed continuously since 1992 as a community press service, "MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a biweekly action and advocacy-oriented column of media criticism, focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any title, without prior permission. When appropriate, attribution can be made to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!" File copies of publications using all or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated. Contact: MEDIAlert!, 163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203, e-mail MediAction@aol.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR NOTES The editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York: Haworth Press), Al Kielwasser's media criticism and research have appeared widely in both popular and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area. ________________________________________ "Shape the forces that shape our society . . . Challenge homophobia in and through the media." ________________________________________