Ignoring Prop. 8 backers' spirituality

What's missing from most of the news reporting about the

Proposition 8 backlash is equal time and space to the value of a

spiritual motivation that underpins the support for the sacred institution

of marriage.

It seems most reporters who are writing about the

Proposition 8 backlash tend to focus on the easy story. People protest in

front of a temple that provides a good photo and video. They gather some

quotes, get a couple of comments from the local Mormon spokesman to

"balance" the story and hit the send button to the editor.

Maybe

journalists are either too squeamish or not sophisticated enough to write

about the religious perspective. Maybe it is not politically correct.

However, what could more politically correct than the majority will in an

election? Once again, journalists have a hard time writing about matters of

faith.

It most cases, the loudest voices are getting to frame the

ongoing story as Mormon "bigotry." Is that good journalism? Is not

a religious perspective about the divine nature of the family and marriage

just as valid and acknowledged in balanced reporting?  Also, where are the

voices of outrage if churches of any faith or synagogues become the forums of

protest and vandalism. Instead, the media focuses its cameras on Whoopi

Goldberg in the crowd outside the Manhattan temple to give such protests the

stamp of celebrity approval.

Good journalism also looks at the bigger

picture about resolution and compromise. In some refreshing coverage, the