In her Tuesday item, the AP's Kimberlee Kruesi repeatedly emphasized the ideology of opponents of proposed legislation in Idaho that would "create protections for gay and lesbian people." Kruesi underlined that the state legislative committee that held the heading was "made up some of the Statehouse's most conservative lawmakers and only a handful of Democrats." However, she failed to give equivalent labels for the left-of-center proponents of the bill.
The correspondent led her article, "Push for gay protections in Idaho stirs emotional debate," by spotlighting how "Idaho's only openly gay state lawmaker," Democratic State Rep. John McCrostie, asked a supporter of the legislation, Episcopalian Bishop Brian Thom, "Can you tell me where gay people come from?" She continued by pointing out that "the bill had been denied a public hearing for nine consecutive years by the Republican-controlled Statehouse, but advocates refused to be ignored."
Kruesi then zeroed in on the crowd's apparent response to Thom's answer to Rep. McCrostie's question, and included her "most conservative" term for some of the members of the committee:
"If you are gay, sir, then I believe God made you that way," said Thom, who supports the bill.
The room erupted in applause, causing Republican committee Chairman Tom Loertscher to bang his gavel and remind the crowd to follow the rules of decorum. But the more Thom spoke, the more the crowd cheered him on.
It was an emotional moment amid the sobering comments both sides presented during Monday's meeting. The committee — made up some of the Statehouse's most conservative lawmakers and only a handful of Democrats — was expected to gather again Tuesday morning to hear more. No date has been set for a vote.
The Associated Press correspondent would go on to use some variation on the "conservative" labeling two more times in the following paragraphs:
The push to hold the hearing peaked last year when protesters disrupted the Statehouse with a series of demonstrations — leading to more than 190 arrests throughout the legislative session and forcing the hand of conservative leaders, who conceded the time for a hearing had finally come.
"My son now presents as my daughter, and I can't bear the thought of my precious child being treated unfairly by anyone simply for being herself," Diane Terhune of Meridian told the panel. "For those of you who think (lesbian and gay) individuals don't need to be protected as a group because they choose their lifestyles, let me tell you that no one chooses this life. It is one of hardship."
Terhune and other gay rights supporters face opposition not only from the state's staunchly conservative legislators but also from Idaho's deeply religious residents. Some said Monday that they fear the bill, commonly known as "Add the Words," will infringe on their rights as individuals and business owners.
Kruesi finally cited an opponent of the legislation twelve paragraphs into her item. She would go on to quote two more, but not until the final four paragraphs of the article:
"I believe I should have the freedom to hire the employee who I feel like," said Sonja Davis of Idaho Falls. "What segment of society will be next? Tall people? Short people? Fat people?"
The journalist did refer to the opposition as "supporters of religious freedom" in her lead paragraph, but never provided ideological labeling for the "gay rights advocates" or the "gay rights supporters."
