From: Date: Sat, 22 Oct 1994 19:37:02 -0400 Subject: Television and Idaho Election IDAHO TELEVISION BRIEFS -- Below: The Debate and TV Advertising The Debate ======== On Thursday, October 20, A debate was held on Proposition One on Idaho Public Television -- broadcast in Idaho's five media markets. Kelly Walton, leader of the Idaho Citizens Alliance, and Dennis Mansfield, leader of the Focus on the Family Idaho branch: Idaho Family Forum debated Brian Bergquist and Dr. Mary Rohlfing the co-chairs of the No On One Coalition. The debate was extremely argumentative with Walton and Mansfield continuously stating Radical Right homophobe Paul Cameron's statistics that gays and lesbians die at 39 and 42 respectively; that we must protect Idaho's children from gays which they said molested children at a rate higher than heterosexuals; and that homosexuality is a threat to public health. Bergquist and Rohlfing were mostly calm in tackling the claims. They focused on that fact that Proposition One is unconstitutional and that it will cost the state millions in law suits and in library censorship. Comment from those I surveyed on the Internet said that because of the argumentative nature of the debate, that neither side could clearly claim a win. Many of these Internet commentaries said they were still confused. Af fault too, was the moderator. There were not set time limits on charges and rebuttals. TV Advertising =========== The Idaho Citizens Alliance will click on three TV advertisements for Proposition One. Two are 30 seconds; and one is 10 seconds. They hit on the "need to stop special rights" and the need to protect Idaho's children. They also acquired time on cabel to show "Gay Rigthts, Special Rights," ten times. This is the newest in a long line of anti-gay films produced by national Radical Right Groups. The No On One Coalition will be running four ads focusing on censorship, government interference in private lives and the waste of tax-payer dollars. The Idaho Citizens Alliance ad says "No gay agenda? Think again." Another ad shows a black minister from Cincinati blasting gays for trying to become a "legitimate minority." ========================================== Written by BoiseBear@aol.com ==========================================