Maddow Wants Gays in Media to Come Out, But MSNBC Agenda to Remain Closeted
A British media outlet's profile of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is generating considerable buzz for a specific remark she made, though another is equally curious.
In response to a question from The Guardian's Hadley Freeman, Maddow said gays in the media whom she did not identify should come out of the closet.
Here's how it was reported by Freeman --
Maddow is one of the the very few gay news anchors in America -- well, one of the very few openly gay news anchors. Does she feel frustration towards an equally well-known news presenter who is widely assumed to be gay but has never come out? For the first time, Maddow pauses: "I'm sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they're doing what they're doing, but I do think that if you're gay you have a responsibility to come out," she says carefully.
In response to speculation that Maddow was alluding to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Maddow wrote on her blog yesterday that this was not the case. She also elaborated on when gays should come out or expect to be outed --
Regarding The Guardian interview that's getting a lot of pickup today: in that interview, I wasn't asked about Anderson Cooper, I didn't say anything about him, he literally was never discussed during the interview at all -- even implicitly.
I don't tend to be shy when I criticize -- you wouldn't have to read between the lines if that's what I was trying to do.
I've long held three basic beliefs about the ethics of coming out:
-- Gay people -- generally speaking -- have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if and when we feel that we can.
-- We should all get to decide for ourselves the "if and when we feel that we can" part of that.
-- Closeted people should reasonably expect to be outed by other gay people if (and only if) they prey on the gay community in public, but are secretly gay themselves.
Here's the second thing Maddow told The Guardian that stood out --
Of Fox News, she says simply "When it starts to seem like you have popped in bed with a specific party, it makes it difficult for people to believe you are not doing someone else's bidding for them."
At MSNBC, on the other hand, "there are people here who are identified as liberals, but there is no political agenda."
In other words -- yes, we're liberal, but heck no, we have no agenda. Silly you, intepreting my emotive, arms-waving liberalism as even remotely political.
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Comments
No agenda, REALLY...........
Submitted by Tomorama on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 8:56pm.
Actually there are people on HER........... network who are admitted socialists and another admits his favorite politician is an admitted socialist...
But Fox has an agenda.........., even though Greta, Shemp (two shows) and Jerry Rivers all liberals to offset the Conservatives (Hannity) and quasi Conservatives (O'Reilly).
Nah, "honey" you're network is pure as the driven snow and I challenge Jer and others to name ONE Conservative that has a show on that network.
Who are the Conservatives on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC etc, etc?
Bueller, Bueller anyone.
Come on Madcow, OUT a conservative on you're network "honey".
coming out as a Liberal is worse
Submitted by MidAmerica on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 9:05pm.
I could tolerate her Gayness but the nonsense she believes in is unacceptable.
I recall one intelligent
Submitted by Free Stinker on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 9:11pm.
I recall one intelligent comment that came from Arsineo Hall when he was still doing his late night show.
ACT UP: "Why don't you have more gay guests??"
Arsineo: "Maybe some of my guests are gay, but they feel that what they are is none of your damn business!"
Rachel, please do shut up now. You're making a horses arse out of yourself.
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
So if....
Submitted by MidAmerica on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 9:24pm.
Anderson Cooper were to 'come out' how would that benefit him? Why do we need to know about any personalities personal life? I don't think Cooper would be any more professional or effective looking like this....
The Gay community, like the Black community, uses bullying of it's members to make them conform to certain rules or risk being excoriated publicly as traitors to the community.
Now, That's Funny!
Submitted by IrateNate on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 9:42pm.
Now, that's funny stuff. But, you gotta admit - AC - in those shoes? FAAAABULOUS....
And Her Point Is?
Submitted by Tenebrous on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 9:56pm.
How does the "reporter" being afflicted with Same Sex Attraction Disorder provide the audience any useful information? Typical liberal nonsense.
Visions and Principles blog
It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Rachel returned to the closet
Submitted by Dave. on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 10:06pm.
...and stayed there
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Edit
Submitted by SamC on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 10:28pm.
Edit
It doesn't matter,
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 10:32pm.
Rachel, or Richard, you're a no-talent, newsreader. Get it through your head, not many care what gender you prefer, it doesn't matter. And few care if your comrades 'come out". We. Just. Don't. Care.
How exactly, does the gender preference of the newsreader matter? Or, are you just more interested in filling the "gay" quota? If that's the case, why didn't SeeBS hire Perez Hilton, instead of Mr. Pelley, for Couric's replacement?
it's a twisted way of saying
Submitted by OffTheLows on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 11:11pm.
she and others on msnbc are willing to attack democrats for not being liberal enough as well, but the idea that it's anywhere near an equal amount of dishing or there's complete disclosure on issues rather than cherrypicking what suits their argument is a joke. facts that are omitted, facts are twisted, and the bias of those presenting the facts create a cocktail of deception that is the definition of partisan
Uh oh...
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 11:24pm.
Shep.
What the hell is the "Gay Community?"
Submitted by Fenwick on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 7:03am.
"Gay people -- generally speaking -- have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if and when we feel that we can."
As I have mentioned before, I am gay - but I certainly do not consider the "gay community" any significant community of MINE! The reality is that gays are sickeningly intolerant of people who do not hold the same beliefs as they do... ESPECIALLY if they are also gay. Try "coming out" as a conservative to the "gay community", Ms. Maddow - and let me know how that goes over.
My gay/lesbian "friends" no longer associate with me, which is fine because I am weary of being insulted and called names as a substitute for honest discourse.
My real community has nothing to do with identity politics.
Thats a shame
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 7:55am.
My niece has told me the same thing. She said coming out as gay was more difficult for her gay friends to understand then her straight ones.
She is also a vegan and libertarian. So, she is a pain to take to a restaurant and to argue politics with. She is also one of my all time favorite people.
Nice post...
Submitted by Fenwick on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 10:06am.
Each person is a unique individual and, as such, we should not seek to be - or agree to be - lumped into a group that classifies or defines us. True tolerance is, to paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., accepting others based on the content of their character, not any other label. BTW, this means that you can dislike someone if they're a complete jerk! ;-)
They preach just like NOW does, unless................
Submitted by Tomorama on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 9:14am.
YOU ARE WELCOMED AT THIS ADDRESS.
Not said with anger, caps to emphasize the "welcomeness".
I think I made up a word.......................................
Just as NOW has been exposed for being the noLw, you need to fit the supposed gay profile.
No problem being a log cabin Republican right?
THANKS!
Submitted by Fenwick on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 10:17am.
I've always felt welcome here.
As for NOW, do a search about NOW's treatment of Millicent Fenwick in 1982. Log cabin Republicans get a pretty raw deal, too. Check out some of the feedback at GayPatriot...
It's all hypocrisy.
I looked at your website, it
Submitted by redfish on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 6:51pm.
I looked at your website, it seems to mainly argue from a libertarian perspective. I'm wondering what your comment would be on gays who are either socially conservative politically, or in their personal life, or in both.
It seems one thing the "gay community" at large can't stand above all else is the idea that a gay person might not be interested in pursuing that lifestyle, or if that is the case, or if anyone chooses celibacy over sex, that such a person will deal with all sorts of emotional repression. So you get a zealous focus on outing people like Larry Craig and making them a type of symbol of that wrong-minded point of view or on exposing Catholic priests as pedophiles.
Just to clarify...
Submitted by Fenwick on Thu, 04/28/2011 - 10:57am.
It's not "my" website; it's just one that I visit on a rather infrequent basis. (I'm more of a regular on HotAir.com and NeoNeocon.com.) Yes, GayPatriot is more libertarian in its bent, but it's still interesting to tune in once in a while to get its perspective. I would actually classify myself as more conservative than libertarian, but I do strongly feel that a person's private life is purely their own business, provided they are not breaking the law and take full responsibility for their actions and choices.
As you should, Fenwick---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 6:58pm.
as you should.
Reasonable people should be judged as reasonable people.
Period.
MD
Like Richard Quest
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 8:43am.
He got caught parading around a public park with som Crystal Ice and a "toy" chained to his parts.
Worked so well for him that he got reassigned to the CNN UK bureau.
"Future generations of gay people?"
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 8:56am.
How's that happen? I feel like I've just been called a breeder.
BTW, it's a well kept secret that Maddow and her partner have boy and girl twins - Petri and Pyrex.
SoL*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 7:13pm.
You are on a roll today fella. roflmoao
this little boy
Submitted by tomolson3 on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 9:40am.
this guy is so funny to watch. Why would its parents name there son Rachel???
I liked her best...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 5:24pm.
...when she played Ensign Will Crusher on "Star Trek". Too bad she/he didn't learn anything at Star Fleet Academy.
Homosexuals are not some sort
Submitted by tombaker on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 3:59am.
Homosexuals are not some sort of alternate lifeform. What people do in their bedroom is nobody's business, that Maddow seems to want to seek approval for her choices is her egocentric neediness.
While I understand that Maddow has approval issues related to her parents, it is no phobia for me to not want to be bothered by her sexual lifestyle.
Maddow should understand that people that find her to be an egotistical snob that rationalizes all their action by feeling she is superior to people that hold views that are not duplicates of her own...that people who find her to be a putrid twittering slobbering yack-fest, that it has nothing to do with whom she is bedding down.