Today, as many of you know, marks the twelfth annual Day of Silence, which aims to combat homophobia in schools and commemorate those who have lost their lives to anti-gay violence.
A reported 6,500 schools are participating in this year’s festivities, which also honors slain 15-year Lawrence King, so you can be sure the event’s big news. And Michigan’s local CBS affiliate fumbled in their coverage, says gay activist Sean Kosofsky.
Director of policy for The Triangle Foundation, Kosofsky specifically who takes issue with the station’s repeated use of the word “homosexual” and citation of anti-gay American Family Association as a “family values” organization. Kosofsky calls that description “a flat out lie.”
At first we thought Kosofsky might be overreacting, but the WNEM coverage is quite skewed:
A statewide family values organization is urging parents to keep their children home from school if their school is among those planning to allow a national homosexual activist group’s scheduled protest Friday to protest the treatment of gay teens.
Earlier this week TV5 broke the story of how students across Michigan, including Clare High School, are planning Friday to protest bullying, especially when it comes against kids leading alternative lifestyles.
Bleck. We’re not sure what we’re more offended by, the use of “alternative lifestyles” or the fact that the station claims to have “broken” a twelve year old story.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Paul Raposo
I found this last paragraph sad:
“Mission America, a national organization taht monitors homosexual activists’ activities in public schools, including the so-called “Day of Silence,” lists the following schools in Michigan that are reported by GLSEN or other sources to be sponsoring or supporting the protest or allowing students to refuse to participate in normal classroom activities:”
Spelling mistake; “homosexual activists'”; so-called “Day of Silence,”; obviously some lazy writer lifted this from an AFA press release. Liberal media indeed
todd
American Family Association. What sort of family spouts hate?
Jon
I’ve never even heard of a “day of silence” and I live smack in the middle of West Hollywood. How does one learn of such events?
abelincoln
I’m all for everyone not talking especially if it’s on cell phones in public but what exactly is a person supposed to do on the Day of Silence?
emb
It would be nice of the AFA observed a Day of Silence or two. Or 365.
Jenny
This TV station is pretty gag-me-with-a-spoon in general. If you don’t want to be pissed off, don’t go to their website and look at their “most popular” photo slideshow, 10 Drinks Men Should Never Order. (http://www.wnem.com/news/slideshow/foodnews/13648473/detail.html)
Apparently somebody appointed these folks to be the Gender Norm Police. Sheesh.