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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“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.