Texas News Channel Asks Viewers Whether Homosexuality Will Destroy the United States

Asking viewers to weigh in on a current event is pretty standard practice among local television stations. Want to know what people think about an increase in sales tax? You'll find reporters out in the street asking passersby. How about the new logo for a local sports team? Yup, people weigh in on that, too.
Want to know whether people think homosexuality will cause the downfall of the United States and will fuel the apocalypse?
Well, come on. No television station would stoop so low to ask their viewers that kind of question. Right?
If only. Check out KETK, the NBC-affiliate in Tyler, Texas, which ran a story yesterday on the news that the Obama administration has appointed more LGBT people to positions in the federal government than any other President in history. And in the context of that news story, they asked their viewers to call in and answer this question: "Do you think this country's accpetance of homosexuality could lead to it's downfall?"
It's almost priceless that the media outlet spelled acceptance wrong and used the incorrect form of "its," given that their question is about as stupid as they come.

"Pretty soon we're going to have a gay President, and that would be the worst!" called in one viewer (and yes, the news channel aired that response).
"I do know that there are more gays in Washington, D.C. than there are in San Francisco, southern Florida, or anywhere else in this country," chimed in another viewer.
"You oughta believe it will be the fall of the United States. The main reason is that preachers aren't preaching against what the government is doing," said another person, who must live under a rock.
"Yes, the gay issue will be the downfall of America. Obama has to go," said another.
"In the Bible it says that in the beginning that God made man and God made woman, and told them to multiply. And I do believe that gay people are manmade people and not made from God," added one last viewer.
My goodness. What a segment of news. Can you say Pulitzer-Prize winning reporting, or what?
Actually, on second thought, let's just call this what it is: a really lazy question from a reporter who gave air time to some seriously fringe elements of society. The very premise of their question, that homosexuality could legitimately be seen by some as the downfall of society, is not only offensive, but it's even below Fox News standards.
To their credit, a number of viewers called in saying the same thing. One person said that "the religious right will be the downfall of America," and another added that if an LGBT person is qualified to do their job, then their gender identity or sexual orientation shouldn't matter. Voices of reason amidst a sea of some insanity.
Check out the clip of the segment below, and send the news station a message here saying that you demand better reporting than phone interviews about whether homosexuality will destroy the United States.
KETK's mission statement is "news you won't see anywhere else." Indeed, here's hoping.



Photo credit: Ben Sutherland

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