Tag Archives: Associated Press

Reverend Billy Graham Dead at 99. What The Mainstream News Is Not Saying

Gay News From Around The Globe, , , , , , , , ,

Evangelist Billy Graham, deemed “America’s Pastor,” has died at the age of 99 reports the Associated Press.

Graham’s giant Southern California tent revivals in 1949 would become widely recognized as the beginning of the modern Evangelical movement. 

Since his ministry began in 1947, Graham conducted more than 400 crusades in 185 countries and territories on six continents. The first Billy Graham Crusade, held September 13–21, 1947, in the Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was attended by 6,000 people. Graham was 28 years old. He called them crusades, after the medieval Christian forces who conquered Jerusalem. He would rent a large venue, such as a stadium, park, or street. As the sessions became larger, he arranged a group of up to 5,000 people to sing in a choir. He would preach the gospel and invite people to come forward (a practice begun by Dwight L. Moody). Such people were called inquirers and were given the chance to speak one-on-one with a counselor, to clarify questions and pray together. The inquirers were often given a copy of the Gospel of John or a Bible study booklet. In Moscow, in 1992, one-quarter of the 155,000 people in Graham’s audience went forward at his call. During his crusades, he has frequently used the altar call song, “Just As I Am”.[

Billy Graham while not as rabidly homophobic as others evangelicals of his time like Jerry Falwell, (Graham refused to join Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority in 1979, saying: “I’m for morality, but morality goes beyond sex to human freedom and social justice.”) Graham was nonetheless deeply opposed to homosexuality.

In 1974, a young woman wrote Graham saying that she was attracted to another woman. He wrote back, “Your affection for another of your own sex is misdirected and will be judged by God’s holy standards,” and also told the woman she could be “healed” of her same-sex attraction through belief in Christ.

In 1993, Graham also callously said  that AIDS was punishment from God. “’ls AIDS a judgment of God” he said while preaching in Columbus, Ohio. “l could not be sure, but I think so.” He quickly backtracked, telling Cleveland’s Plain Dealer newspaper two weeks later, ”l don’t believe that and I don’t know why I said it. I remember saying it, and I immediately regretted it and almost went back and clarified the statement. …  God stands in judgment of all sins, but AIDS is a disease that affects people and is not part of that judgment. To say that God has judged people with AIDS would be very wrong and cruel. I would like to say that I am very sorry for what I said.”

In 2012, he endorsed an anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment in his home state of North Carolina. “At 93, I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage,” Graham wrote in a full-page advertisement. “The Bible is clear — God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. I want to urge my fellow North Carolinians to vote FOR the marriage amendment on Tuesday, May 8.” Voters approved the amendment, which was nullified by a federal court ruling in 2014 but remains part of the North Carolina constitution.

He also once said, “Let me say this loud and clear, we traffic in homosexuality at the peril of our spiritual welfare,” as quoted by the U.K.’s Pink News.

Graham died at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Vladimir Putin Does Damage Control: Gays Are Not Discriminated Against We Give Them Prizes!

Featured, Gay News From Around The Globe, , , , ,

Vlad Putin puppies

In an interview with John Daniszewski, the Associated Press’s Senior Managing Editor for International News Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to do damage control over the worldwide backlash against Russia’s draconian anti-gay “propaganda” laws by stating that that they would be used to punish athletes who display rainbow flags during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and also insisting that gays are not discriminated against in his country.

During the interview Putin said of the LGBT community in Russia: “I assure you that I work with these people, I sometimes award them with state prizes or decorations for their achievements in various fields,” adding that if there were a problem that he would be happy to meet with members of the gay and lesbian community if they asked to see him. but they haven’t. “”We have absolutely normal relations, and I don’t see anything out of the ordinary here.”

Putin also added that LGBT Olympic athletes from around the world be safe not be punished. But he clearly has no intention of allowing a gay pride parade during the Olympics. But covers the fact that he will would not let a Sochi Pride happen during the Olympics not because it is gay but because of possible terrorist attacks.  Sochi sits just west of Russia’s North Caucasus, where an Islamic insurgency is simmering.

“Terrorists are always a threat to someone,” he said. “If we’ll be scared of them, it means they have won. But that doesn’t mean we can have a devil-may-care attitude toward this threat. We must do everything to stop these threats and not give the terrorists a single chance to demonstrate their brutality and hatred of mankind.”

What a coincidence.

*cough* Bolshevik *cough*

Source: AP News

 

Associated Press Doesn’t Want To Use The Terms Husband And Wives For Gay Couples?

Gay News From Around The Globe, , , ,

ap_logo

Today the Associated Press sparked some newsworthy controversy of their own when a employee memo went out making it clear that they do not view same sex couples the same as heterosexual couples. They feel as though terms such as husband and wife are not applicable to us members of the LGBT community, despite their once believed left leaning style of reporting:

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves “husband” and “wife.” Our view is that such terms may be used in AP stories with attribution. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

Later in the day, they tried (and failed miserably) to clarify the first memo issued today. It uses a bunch of jargon and unnecessary rhetoric to reiterate their narrow minded policies:

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves “husband” and “wife.” Our view is that such terms may be used in AP content if those involved have regularly used those terms (“Smith is survived by his husband, John Jones”) or in quotes attributed to them. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

So what was the point in the all of this? It’s apparent that they did some backtracking after the first memo. But why make a big deal of all it in the first place?  What does it take from them to use the same terms for same sex couples that they use for straight couples? You may also remember last year that the Associated Press also banned the word homophobia from use in their reporting…how strange is it that they ban the word used to describe how someone suppresses a minority. Does this mean that homophobic slurs are still allowed to be used? Something is not right about this. Careful, AP. Your bigotry is showing.

 

 

 

Bill Clinton’s DNC Speech Was A Fact Checkers Nightmare Except For AP’s Matt Apuzzo

Gay News Domestic & U.S. Politics, Gay News From Around The Globe, , , ,

Former president Bill Clinton’s brilliant (but long) speech last night at the Democratic National Convention was a fact-checker’s nightmare.  Many reporters put on a lot of  time and effort to run down his many statistics and factual claims, coming up with nothing.  But that didn’t stop Associated Press  reporter Matt Apuzzo to push the envelope and write what can only be described as a “smear job” by using his own personal opinions instead of actual facts in his article  Fact Check – Clinton Claims of Compromise a Stretch

Apuzzo claims that the fact is that both parties  Democrats and Republicans are responsible for the gridlock in Washington.  His  proof?  President Obama brought in Rahm Ehmannuel as his chief of staff!  Obama and the Democrats have  bent over backward, and made many changes and cuts to Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Reform (aka “Obamacare”) just to get it to pass because of Republican obstructionist and was also willing to push through cuts on foundational Democratic programs: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.    Republicans refused, and publicly stated they would stop any bills or measures unless it was the ones that they wanted.

But it was Apuzzo’s “fact checking” when Bill Clinton quoted the famous line of the Romney campaign, that they wouldn’t be dictated by fact checkers that takes the cake.  What is brave, fearless bullshit journalist Matt Apuzzo’s fact check response?  But Clinton got a blowjob!

CLINTON: ‘‘Their campaign pollster said, ‘We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers.’ Now that is true. I couldn’t have said it better myself — I just hope you remember that every time you see the ad.’’

THE FACTS: Clinton, who famously finger-wagged a denial on national television about his sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky and was subsequently impeached in the House on a perjury charge, has had his own uncomfortable moments over telling the truth. ‘‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,’’ Clinton told television viewers. Later, after he was forced to testify to a grand jury, Clinton said his statements were ‘‘legally accurate’’ but also allowed that he ‘‘misled people, including even my wife.’’

Is that a fact check?

It’s time to start fact checking  the fact checkers and call them out on their biased bullshit and crap reporting.  The AP should retract Appuzo’s article immediately and the Associated Press should apologize for allowing such garbage to be printed under its name.

Tyler Clementi’s Family REJECTS Dharun Ravi’s Eleventh Hour Apology

Featured, Gay News From Around The Globe, , , , ,

The Associated Press is reporting that Joseph and Jane Clementi, Tyler Clemti’s parents, have released their own statement today, regarding the “after the fact” apology from Dharun Ravi’s two days ago in which he apologizes for his actions which led  Tyler Clementi’s to commit suicide.

From the Associated  Press:

As to the so-called ‘apology,’ it was, of course, no apology at all, but a  public relations piece produced by Mr. Ravi’s advisers only after Judge Berman  scolded Mr. Ravi in open court for his failure to have expressed a word of  remorse or apology.

A sincere apology is personal. Many people convicted of crimes address the  victims and their families in court. Mr. Ravi was given that opportunity but  chose to say nothing. His press release did not mention Tyler or our family, and  it included no words of sincere remorse, compassion or responsibility for the  pain he caused

Ravi checked into a New Brunswick, NJ jail this afternoon to begin his “slap on the wrist” 30-day  sentence while lawyers from both side appeal his sentence.

I just want to go on record here that I AM NOT one of the LGBT community who thought that Dharun Ravi’s should have been shown leniency and still believe he should have received the maximum sentence under the law for his actions which led to Tyler’s suicide, his  perjury within the case, and witness tampering.

His sentence was a grave miscarriage of justice and all that called for leniency for Dharun Ravi’s should be ashamed.

Pentagon Sources Tell The Associated Press That FULL "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Repeal Years Away

Uncategorized, , ,

From AP:

The two officials appointed to lead a yearlong internal assessment — Gen. Carter Ham, commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, and Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson — met for the first time on Feb. 9.

As that study gets under way, officials were expected by mid-March to suggest ways to relax enforcement of the law. Of particular interest is minimizing cases of “third party outings,” where a service member is kicked out after being reported by others to be gay.

The protracted time line is about more than giving military leaders time to assess the impact on troops and put new rules in place. The multiyear process also is a strategic way of getting troops used to the idea before they have to accept change.

The goal, according to senior defense and military officials, is to avoid the backlash that could result from imposing change too fast. While officials expect resistance from only a minority of service members and believe that it could be contained with discipline, officials fear isolated incidents of violence could erupt as a means of protest.

I wonder if the Generals have considered the welfare and sexual well being of those Americans serving besides us sodomites in the British, German, and Canadian armies in Afganistan ?

This is really so sadly predictable, infuritaing, and transparent that the military is slow-rolling this, hoping that they’ll outlast Obama’s first term which at this point is highly possible.

.