NPR: Gays Conducting Witch Hunt

Plenty of people are pissed off about a NPR report yesterday that characterized gay activists as conducting a "witch hunt" against donors to Yes On 8.

"This seems to be an effort to indiscriminately go after anyone who contributed money, regardless of their position on gay issues," says Frank Schubert, spokesman for the Yes on 8 campaign. He says the backlash has endangered individuals who exercised their constitutional right to freedom of religion. "I think that overall the attempt here is to intimidate and punish people so that they are less inclined to speak out in the future," he says. And it's given rise to charges that as gay rights advocates tried to change public opinion, some stepped over the line and turned their protest into a witch hunt.

Yawn. Old news, yes? But the story rankled many, coming on the day of the CA Supreme Court hearing as it did. Dan Savage is angry that not one gay person was interviewed for their point of view.

Gee, maybe a gay person should've been asked to respond to those charges. Perhaps a gay person could've pointed out that we are under no obligation to patronize businesses that are owned and operated by our enemies, discussed other boycotts launched during other civil rights struggles, and pointed out that gays and lesbians have just as much right as faithful Mormons or devout Roman Catholics to act on our consciences and spend our money accordingly, and, again, that boycotts are a peaceful and legitimate form of protest, not "witch hunts." Direct complaints about KGB's idiotic and unfair "reporting" to NPR's ombudsman here, or call 202-513-3245.