He just sent out another email, I had to share. (You can read my previous post on this goof here.) This is a great window into how the religious right thinks. My favorite part is where he says:
"Once again, the media elite strikes and tries to silence the message that homosexuals can in fact change - even though that was not the topic of the segment."Yes, that's right. He was being censored from trying to make the show be about a topic the show wasn't about. You invite a guest to talk about Buster the Bunny and he says right out that he is going to talk about how homosexuals can pray away the gay. Um, not what you were invited for. But in the religious right's logic, that's liberal media censorship. I'll say it again, big girl.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2005
HUNTINGTON, CT - Stephen Bennett, executive director of SBM, was booked and scheduled to appear on "Good Morning America" today, Friday Jan. 28, 2005 at 7:00 am EST. He was to discuss "Postcards from Buster," Education Secretary Margaret Spelling's rebuke to PBS and PBS's decision to pull one episode from the air.
The episode in controversy "Sugartime!" depicts two lesbian moms and their daughters on a farm in Vermont. Many Americans are outraged, especially right on the heels of the "Sponge Bob" controversy (really known as the We Are Family Foundation controversy.) This episode of "Postcards from Buster" blatantly promotes the lesbian lifestyle as natural and normal to juvenile children.
"Sponge Bob may be off the hook, but Buster the Bunny has been busted," said Bennett. "Those who have an immoral agenda just refuse leave our children alone."
GMA also scheduled the two lesbians featured in the controversial episode to appear for the debate segment with Bennett.
After the pre-interview, when the lesbians were informed that Stephen was a former homosexual - now married to a woman with children, as well as Bennett's traditional stands on marriage and the family, the producers called and said the lesbians felt "uncomfortable" even being in the same room (studio) with Stephen. They wanted to set Stephen up in a satellite studio in another state.
After Bennett assured the producers he would show nothing but love, respect and kindness to the lesbian couple, GMA called and said "We've had a change in plans and are going to use some pre-taped interviews we already have for the debate segment."
GMA said, "Logistics just could not be worked out." They also said no satellite locations were available. SBM frequently uses one at the YES Network only 30 minutes away which is ALWAYS available at the drop of a dime. (GMA's studios in NYC are only one hour or so from SBM's offices in CT.)
Did GMA do what they said? Absolutely not. They immediately called Stephen's friend and colleague Andrea Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition, to do the live interview this morning via satellite in place of Bennett (Andrea did a fantastic job as usual.)
Stephen believes he was booted because of the lesbians' intolerance and bigotry toward him for being a former homosexual.
Once again, the media elite strikes and tries to silence the message that homosexuals can in fact change - even though that was not the topic of the segment. Also, Bennett is deeply disturbed by the blatant hypocrisy of the lesbians stating on air that they feel America treats them as if they "don't even exist."
It seems by these two lesbians refusing to debate Bennett - let alone even be in the same studio with him - in their book, former homosexuals DO NOT EXIST.
So who really is the recipient of "intolerance, hatred and bigotry" here? Obviously, NOT the lesbians.
