In reporting an item for this week’s “Fair Game” I had the chance to talk to one of the main protagonists in the documentary film Outrage — journalist and blogger Michael Rogers of PageOneQ and BlogActive.
The movie premiered Sunday night at Merrill’s Roxy in Burlington as a special fundraiser for Pride Vermont, and was hosted by the House of LeMay under the auspices of the League of Drag Queen Voters.
The documentary examines the roles of closeted gay politicians and key political operatives who vote or work against equal rights for gays and lesbians — and relevant legislation, such as funding AIDS research.
The movie also looks at the media’s complicit role in keeping this all hush-hush from the public. It’s what Rogers calls a “pact of protection.”
Amongst politicians, this protective pact is almost a given. But, the media shouldn’t be sidling up to politicians in such a way as to abdicate their role as a watchdog.
That was largely the focus of our post-film discussion, led by myself and Amber LeMay of the League of Drag Queen Voters.
The question was posed: What would happen in Vermont if such a politician were discovered? In fact, I noted, this topic arose during last session’s same-sex-marriage debate. Had some Vermont lawmakers not voted in favor of the legislation, there was talk of “outing” them for their hypocrisy.
I openly admitted wrestling with how I would handle such a story. Don’t fear, said the audience, report it just like any other investigative story. If it’s OK to report the corruption of money in politics, and other issues where private decisions and actions often weigh heavily on public debate, then it’s OK to report on closeted public officials whose votes and influence are doing harm.
In fact, most in the audience were galled by the complicity of the media in D.C. Many audience members also wondered if the rise of “new media” would allow these secrets to be unveiled to the public.
“New media is really media,” said Rogers. “What I used to call media is now called the old media.”
This article appears in Jul 22-28, 2009.
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“Rogers said his work is bipartisan, noting he has also reported the fact that Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), was a lesbian. Mikulski voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, and in 2004 was was prepared to support the constitutional amendment ensuring “marriage” could only be defined as between a man and a woman.”This is harsh. Not all homosexual legislators are hypocrites just because they’re both homosexual and legislators.If a gay or lesbian politician votes the way a majority of their constituents want, is that “hypocritical,” or just doing what they think is their job?
It’s interesting that you’re Blogging about this now. 7 Days virtually ignores the Vermont Gay Community for the most part (except Gay Marriage and even then, measly coverage at best), while covering every restaurant closing and every “Art” event, if if it’s not worth driving by. Oh yeah, and the incessant reprting on “Localvore” and Organic farming (YAWN) It’s Gay Pride this week in Vermont, and hardly a mention anywhere in 7 Days. In a year where we actually got Marriage Equality, the supposed Alternative Newspaper is not only quiet on the issue, it decides to report on a bunch of nothing (again) The Gay Community here is struggling. You may write it up to “Changes in Society” but it’s just not true. It’s the lack of support and coverage by the supposedly “Alternative” press in this town. We couldn’t even keep a gay bar open in this town, alot of it due to the fact that no one knew it was there (Great reporting again, 7 Days) There is alot of hatred still out there in Vermont. Look at the previous post here, or check out the BFP comments site if you want to know how many whackos are out there. I have lived here all my life and I long for the days of a real Alternative newspaper that didn’t just cover Restaurants / “Art” openings and Hippie Jambands. It’s just so boring that I don’t even pick up a copy if I’m walking by nowadays. I did pick up this weeks issue, just to see what was going on at Pride. Instead, it will become more fodder to start my woodstove, come fall. Here’s hoping that the reporting improves over there. It’s obvious who has the pull when it comes to 7 Days reporting: those who have the cash, and those who have the connections. It’s a sham and a shame.
Sorry, Alan, that you’re so disappointed with us. We did, in fact, cover the marriage debate exhaustively. We did a cover story on it in January, blogged about it, Twittered it and devoted an entire “Marriage Equality” issue to it in April. Here’s the link to the gay marriage tag in our archives. We didn’t write about gay marriage this week because, frankly, we felt that we’d already said everything we could think to say about it. Look at what we wrote — what’s the angle we’re missing? If someone finds a new way for us to cover it, please let us know. Also, we did mention the opening of Two Friends Bistro here on the blog, and the post was reprinted in the newspaper. The fact that the restaurant/bar didn’t survive probably had more to do with the establishment itself than with the media coverage, or lack thereof.It’s true — if you’re looking for news exclusively about Vermont’s GLBT community, you’ll have to look elsewhere. There was a monthly, GLBT-focused publication in Vermont, called Out in The Mountains. It was a nonprofit, it always struggled financially and it was written mainly by volunteers (I got my start writing for them in 1999). But OITM folded in 2006. No one has yet been able to replace it, and we’re not really trying. Our audience, and our focus, includes but extends beyond Vermont’s GLBT community. That said, when we get good story ideas, we run with them. So if you have GLBT-related ideas for us, please email me and share them. I’m at cathy at sevendaysvt.com.Several of our staffers, writers and senior management types, myself included, are gay. We’re not keeping anybody down. There just aren’t a whole lot of ideas coming up. That’s not to say that we couldn’t do a better job covering the issues. Like I said, your story ideas are welcome.
I forgot to add that there’s a complete list of Burlington Pride events in the center spread of Section A this week.
How about at least a column? I mean you have so many that are SO specific to a certain demographic, that you could at least have a once-a-month? You don’t have to apologize to me. I have enjoyed many issues of Seven Days in the past, just not so much lately. And, my involvement in the gay community lately has made it glaringly evident that there is no outlet for that type of news in Vermont. As you basically implied in your post above, you’re not really TRYING to do anything like that. I think I get the point. I don’t care if some of your staff is G/L/B/T. That’s like saying “But, I have gay FRIENDS!” I know all about OITM. You don’t have to educate me there. I worked on the papaer as well: everything from fundrasing to distribution, to pdfing. Boring, I kniow, but I recognized the importance. As I said, I’m a native Vermonter, but I realize that just because I’ve grown a little older and have suffered through MY tribulations about being Gay, it doesn’t mean that other people don’t need that news. Or that visibility. As far as “Good story ideas” go, how about one on the social opportunities for GLBT people in Vermont?Here’s a test for you: pick up the last 6 issues of Seven Days and go through and see how many times a GLBT person or event is written about. Then, picture yourself as a GLBT person from out of town, picking up the newspaper that’s supposedly most likely to report on GLBT issues. What would you find? Really?
By the way, here are the sponsors for Pride this year. Did they just leave you out by mistake? Lavender Sponsor: Dealer.com Silver Sponsors: Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel; Physicians Computer Company, VT Freedom to Marry, Lift/Krazy Horse Saloon Bronze Sponsors: Papa John’s Burlington, Law Offices of Fred Peet, Rob Johnson/ReMax North, One-Half Lounge, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Higher Ground, The Samara Foundation Rainbow Sponsors: Noah’s Art Pet Center, Phineas Swann Bed & Breakfast Inn and Antiques Gallery, Karen Pike Photography, Moonflower Graphix, Pride Promotions, Vermont Pub & Brewery, Leunig’s Bistro, Moose Meadow Lodge, The Green Room, Green Cab VT, House of Lemay, Superior Sounds, Red Stage Theater Company, Outright Vermont, Pride Promotions Non-Profit Sponsors: Peace and Justice Store, RU12?, Vermont CaresProduct Sponsors: Quarterstaff Games, Nasty Pig Inc., Roxy Cinema, Black Box Theater, Red Square, Touch Chi, Old Gold, Spirit Dancer Bookstore, RIOT, Pottery Barn, J. Crew, Kiss The Cook, New You SalonHouse Parties for Pride: Craig Stevens & James Lapierre, Donald Imgram and Thomas RussellSpecial thanks to Shawn Lipenski, Don Eggert, Wayne Beam, Dean Evans, Rob Douglass, Alan Perry, DJ Precious & GLAM.
No, we’re not an “official” sponsor of Pride, but we print the center spread, with the Pride schedule, for free. We sell ads around it, but if Pride wanted to buy that center spread, it would cost more than we make on selling those ads.A column isn’t a bad idea — do you have a writer in mind? I don’t think anyone has pitched us a gay column, but I think we’d be open to it.
I’ve made my pitch. I’m sure that there are other writers willing to contribute.
“I’ve made my pitch. I’m sure that there are other writers willing to contribute.”Yeah, here’s my contribution. I’d say your comments are harsh and seem to reflect a certain paranoia. SevenDays is a general interest alternative newspaper — indeed one that’s already so dogmatically left-slanted that it’s incredibly annoying and frustrating to me. It is NOT a publicity arm of the gay community, as you seem to want it to be.Howbout journalistic independence? I don’t necessarily think its appropriate for a newspaper to be a “sponsor” of Gay Pride Week, as you seem to want it to be. Anymore than it would be appropriate for a newspaper to be a “sponsor” of “Traditional Culture Week.” SevenDays labels itself “Vermont’s Independent Voice.” I wish it were more “independent” of the prevailing liberal, unchallengeable orthodoxy in Vermont, but that’s another story.And why would you “thank yourself” in your 7/24, 3:10 p.m. comment? Hint: see the last line.
re: “Huh?”Got any story ideas for us? We’re always looking for ways to buck the stereotype that we’re dogmatically left-leaning — see our Hunting Issue a couple years back. I thought that we were sort of doing that with gay marriage when we ran the cover story in January — I was actually arguing against the legislature taking up the issue. But I guess it wasn’t that bold a move, since I was still for gay marriage in theory, just against the timing of the legislation.Also, I think Alan was cutting and pasting the Pride sponsors, and didn’t bother to delete himself, probably, in part, so that we knew he was involved with the event.
Yeah, Cathy, you’re correct: I did copy/paste that and wanted you to know who I was, so I wasn’t “hiding” ; ) Once again, a clear sign of what types of attitudes still appear out there in “Huh’s” post. They think that you’re LEFT enough, which means that I should shut my mouth about the whole issue. Basically, another “They Gays already have enough” argument. Then, they assume that I’m “Thanking Myself.” HUH? Anyway, I was out and about this weekend and had the chance to meet 3 separate groups of people from out of town (DC / Boston / Miami) who all said: where do you get information about what’s going on in this town? I told them about the Pride Guide in the 7 Days and then we discussed where we would go to find out what’s going on in the GLBT community on a regular basis in print form and I told them all that there was no regular reporting in print on Vermont specific GLBT issues. During one of these conversations, the parade was going by on Church Street and I was sitting at a restaurant. The table behind us used the “F” word a number of times and then asked for their check so that they could “get away from the F@Gs.” Anyway, I don’t want to suggest that your paper become another “Arm of the Gay Takeover” like “HUH” suggested. I guess we should both just shut up and take our places now, right? Personally, I DO think that for an alternative newspaper, you have done a great job of reporting on subjects such as hunting and the plight of the family farm. In addition, I think that “HUH” should re-read some of Freyne’s old columns: he (and the paper) took all sides to task if they needed it: not just Conservative politicians. I do hope you see that there is a strong and vocal contingent of Conservatives like “HUH” out there in Vermont who think that they are “Rising up” against “What Vermont has become.” They basically want Vermont to become another South Carolina, which as a native Vermonter, is sickening to me. I see the GLBT community is being more complacent than ever and it worries and saddens me. Especially when people like the poster above are on the warpath telling me (and you) to keep my mouth shut.
Alan,I appreciate your comments, and I think this is a useful debate. Thanks for engaging in it.I have to say, though, that I’m sympathetic to “Huh?”‘s point: Howbout journalistic independence? I don’t necessarily think its appropriate for a newspaper to be a “sponsor” of Gay Pride Week, as you seem to want it to be. Anymore than it would be appropriate for a newspaper to be a “sponsor” of “Traditional Culture Week.” SevenDays labels itself “Vermont’s Independent Voice.” I wish it were more “independent” of the prevailing liberal, unchallengeable orthodoxy in Vermont, but that’s another story.I don’t feel like I’m being asked to shut up. I think this is a fair request — that we be journalists, not activists. That’s what we strive to do.
So, now reporting on GLBT issues is being “Activist?” C’mon. Give me a break. Seriously. I mean are you now a “Farming Activist” because you report on farming issues? Are you a “Sex Activist” because you have the Mistress Mauve column? Bah. I understand you have to try and report on both sides of the issues but please……This stinks.
No one is being asked to shut up. Mr. Perry just thinks that, apparently because it makes him feel good to think that everyone’s against him. Sad.
Well, “Huh,” how can I be “Sad” and “Feeling Good” that everyone’s against me? I’m going to take this conversation offline because your nonsense is actually taking away from the real issue here, as I’m sure it does where ever you comment. Sad, indeed. And actually, I’d personally like to ask you to “Shut Up.” This is none of your business. Back to the Free Press comment board with you, Huh. It’s where ya belong.
“None of your business and shut up.”This is a public blog. You could have raised your beef about coverage of gay issues in a private e-mail to the editor of Seven Days, but instead you chose to place FIVE long-winded public rants on this public blog. You weren’t having a private conversation with Cathy. And now you’re telling people it’s “none of their business” and to “shut up.”Sorry, any Seven Days reader has the right to comment on what Seven Days does and does not cover, and how they do so. Not just you. Any reader has the right to use this blog. Not just you.