NPR Allows No Dissent As They Promote 'Mr. Gay World' Pageant
On Monday night's All Things Considered newscast, National Public Radio promoted the latest Mr. Gay World pageant, which was apparently made newsworthy since it was based this year in Africa (with black African contestants). Judges were looking for someone who could be a positive LGBT advocate and display their well-dressed and groomed "innate charm and sparkle." As is often the case on NPR, there was zero room for social conservatives.
Jo Ann Downs, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party, objected to this pageant being held on Easter Sunday, but NPR didn't find that worth noting. The pro-gay Daily Maverick site reported on Downs:
“I don’t think Christians have shown animosity. Nobody’s picketing outside saying ‘Die homosexuals’... The second point is that Jesus very clearly said I will die for your sins, but sin no more and people are asked to move away from their sins and that’s adultery and fornication and all of that.
"So on Easter Sunday we don’t expect people who are all in adultery to rise up and say okay, we’re going to have a Mr Adultery competition."
The comments prompted deputy minister of science Derek Hanekom to tweet a single word: "ugh". And organisers credited the ACDP with singlehandedly ensuring tickets for Mr Gay World Johannesburg were sold out within days of the party's remarks hitting the headlines.
They couldn't even allow criticism from other gay advocates, like the Associated Press did:
Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the New York-based International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, worries such glitzy contests feed stereotypes that could cement the view, often heard in Africa, that homosexuality is un-African.
"Most of us are of color, poor, don't look like we go to the gym regularly," Johnson said in a telephone interview. "Class does matter. It is poor men who experience the most oppression."
Reporter Anders Kelto began the NPR report like this:
At a golf resort in suburban Johannesburg, men in tiny swimsuits surround a pool. They cheer as a group of competitors races around a grass field to the sounds of "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini."
This is Sports Challenge Day at Mr. Gay World 2012. Mr. Gay World is a five day competition that includes a wide range of events -- fitness tests, quizzes about LGBT rights and, of course, evening wear and swimsuit competitions.
The only "story" here to NPR is that 37 African countries, it is "still illegal just to be gay." The soundbites were all participants and gay advocates:
– Coenie Kokkuk, founder of Mr. Gay South Africa and this year’s pageant organizer
– Wendelius Hametunya, black contestant from Namibia
– Robel Hailu, black contestant from Ethiopia
– Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT Rights Program of Human Rights Watch in New York
The Mr. Gay World website explains that the winner should be beautiful and project charisma and sparkle:
The delegate chosen to represent his peers on a global stage will not only have the inner beauty of confidence, self assurance, charisma and natural leadership abilities but he will also take care in his outward beauty.
The delegate will treat his body as his temple and will be active and outgoing. He will have impeccable grooming standards and has a thorough understanding of what attire is appropriate for each engagement he is to encounter.
The website also reports the cause is more political:
Eric Butter, a philanthropist and a businessman envisions the organization to unite the gay community all over the world in a strong common cause.
In 2008, he founded the Mr. Gay World Organization (MGWO) with the hopes of creating a more positive image for the gay people, particularly the gay men to make a ‘difference’ and be accepted as human beings with equal importance along with straight people. Also, the organization have seen the growing number of AIDS cases in the world, it has committed its existence and gave its full support in fighting against the widespread of this dreaded disease.
Along with this, MGWO seeks to fight discrimination and stigma within the gay men community, empowers and raises the visibility of optimistic gay men as well as breaks barriers created by discriminative individuals and groups.
Also on Monday, NPR's Tell Me More reported on "gay rights" in Liberia with only one side: Tamasin Ford of the leftist Guardian newspaper insisting "something needs to be done....there needs to be some sort of action" on gay rights.
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Comments
Not...
Submitted by rockyracoon on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 5:08pm.
...that there's anything wrong with it!!
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
Shameless Bunch
Submitted by Ogundipe S.O. on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 5:16pm.
I know there are gay conservatives and I don't really intend to hurt them by this. But the question that crosses my mind every time I hear or see anything about homosexual is if they every care to be shy a bit. It's the height of shame and immorality. I mean, why on earth would any sane man/woman be doing a sex like him/her? I heard this is somewhat psychological, how can it be psychological? God created us and he created us to have sexual desires towards the opposite sex. So I don't think he could somehow create some people in a different fashion. What this world is turning to is really exasperating. What goes on behind close doors among homosexuals is the most disgusting thing I could ever imagine. Honestly.
By the way, gay marriage attracts 14 years jail term here in Nigeria. And any "clergy" that bless such "union" would enjoy half cooked beans for 10 years behind bar.
Sam: some things are better off not even being imagined.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 5:40pm.
;)
So did any transgenders whine their way into this contest?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 5:37pm.
No? How hateful.
All of this is normal
Submitted by dr-go on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 5:57pm.
behaviour for those living on parallel planets and a few have escaped to our Garden of Eden, so what's the beef with a few stud muffins showing off their abs and other such things?
double post
Submitted by the struggler on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 6:06pm.
double post
What about inclusiveness?
Submitted by the struggler on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 6:04pm.
Surely they won't mind a few brawney,bearded,hetero lumberjacks in their little contest.It would only be fair.
Chaz
Submitted by Joe W. on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 7:27pm.
Is Chaz Bono welcome to compete, boys??
Ewwwwwww
Submitted by jpwcpa on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 1:19am.
That is all.
Anti-Christianity in the News
Submitted by berlet98 on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 2:17am.
Anti-Christianity in the News
The age-old admonition against ever discussing religion or politics never held any water, except maybe for atheists and for those who consider politicians spawns of the devil.
Especially in A.D. 2012, with the first serious Mormon candidate running for president, a president who is desperate to establish his Christian bona fides in the face of continuing doubts, and Rep. Paul Ryan saying on Tuesday that his Catholic faith is the foundation of his budget plan, religion has taken center stage in America although that stage is noticeably tilted against Romney and Ryan.
For example, Mitt Romney is often subjected to negative stereotyping and commentary from both the left and the right because of his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, reactions that haven’t been seen in this country since the first Roman Catholic ran for the presidency fifty years ago.
Indeed, it would seem that all Christians come under greater scrutiny than adherents to other faiths, which has given rise to charges that there is a war on Christianity raging in America, a war apparent to any thinking person.
What do New York Jets quarterback Jeff Tebow, former sitcom star Kirk Cameron, and “American Idol” hopeful Colton Dixon have in common? Actually, all three share the same distinctions of being devout Christians–and all have been roundly criticized for their beliefs.
Tebow, of course, is the most visible figure among them and has been attacked for his outward displays of faith since his days as a Florida Gator through his two years with the Denver Broncos. Since his trade last month to New York, the belly of the liberal beast, many sports pundits have ramped up their ridicule and critiques and have gleefully predicted he will fail miserably.
However, failure doesn’t exist in Tebow’s playbook any more than the thought of changing either his character or altering his public demeanor exists.
Tebow took his show on the road to celebrate Easter Sunday to Georgetown, Texas, appropriately at the Celebration Church where he delivered a heartfelt sermonette in the form of a Q and A session with the pastor before a congregation estimated at 30,000 faithful.
The gist of his sentiments was reflected in his proud admission that he said, “Win or lose, it is most important that I honor my Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” (http://bit.ly/Hzkqa0)
Not that it would bother Tebow but that line will surely be seized on by his detractors the first time he throws an interception or the Jets lose a game.
It’s doubtful Kirk Cameron can toss a football as far as Tim Tebow but he created almost as big a stir when he frankly expressed his Christian moral views last Friday on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight.”
Cameron tread where few celebs would dare to go when the”Growing Pains” star and now a Born Again Christian gave his opinion on abortion and gay marriage.
Concurring with millions of other Americans, Cameron believes abortion is “wrong, under any circumstances. I think that someone who is ultimately willing to murder a child, even to fix another tragic and devastating situation–like rape or incest or things like that–is not taking the moral highroad.”
He may have gotten away with that statement but his non-politically correct Christian view that homosexuality is a perversion, without using that term, caused an uproar from the ultra-liberal, pro-gay set. Cameron forthrightly said, “I think that it’s unnatural . . . (Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=21241.)
Yup, I am enjoying this post
Submitted by lisadomini on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 5:57am.
Yup, I am enjoying this post whatever and whatever you input here about NPR Allows. I actually interested to know truth about abs. Somebody plz... help me post a short review on it!
Spam
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 8:13am.
Spammers are out today.