Scroll To Top
World

NPR Prop. 8 Story
Raises Eyebrows

NPR Prop. 8 Story
Raises Eyebrows

A story that aired on National Public Radio's Morning Edition on Thursday about the backlash over the passage of California's Proposition 8 seems to be raising eyebrows over its characterization of gays performing a "witch hunt."

A story that aired on National Public Radio's Morning Edition on Thursday about the backlash over the passage of California's Proposition 8 seems to be raising eyebrows over its characterization of gays performing a "witch hunt."

The report by Karen Grigsby Bates mentioned several boycotts of businesses after it was revealed that their owners contributed to the campaign for a statewide ban on same-sex marriage, which voters passed after 18,000 were marriages performed over five months. The report went on to speak with three business owners who were affected either negatively or positively by boycotts and protests, each described as a "devout" or "faithful" religious follower.

El Coyote in Los Angeles lost customers after the owners' daughter gave $100 to the Yes on 8 campaign. Bates also spoke to the owners of Leatherby's Family Creamery in Sacramento, who say business actually went up because of the 15 or so protesters outside of its doors. David Leatherby, a "Roman Catholic father of 10," said he gave $20,000 to the campaign and started to receive nasty e-mails and phone calls.

Bates also said that the California secretary of state "publicized" the contributor lists, which became popular on websites and other media, but in California elections, as with federal-level elections, donor lists are made public in any case.

The report, which aired on the morning of the California supreme court's hearing of arguments for and against Proposition 8, quoted only two gay former patrons of El Coyote and no leaders of the No on 8 campaign to explain the purpose of the boycotts.

"Bates speaks to no gay leaders," writes Dan Savage in The Slog , "she doesn't quote anyone about the role that boycotts have played in other civil rights struggles, from the African American Civil Rights Movement (think of that poor bus company!) to struggles farm workers' rights (did anyone ever think of the poor people who owned the vineyards where grapes were grown?)."

Advocate Channel - The Pride StoreOut / Advocate Magazine - Fellow Travelers & Jamie Lee Curtis

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Michelle Garcia