Comments about ‘Salt Lake paper criticized for coverage of LGBT conference’

I say good job to the Mormons for fighting for what is right!

Keep up the good work.

Wrong is wrong.

I'm not sure why this story should surprise anyone. Were talking about the Salt Lake Tribune. Enough said.

I'm not even so sure it would be such a huge story if the bishop *were* challenging official church positions. There are thousands of bishops; more than a few of them have gone rogue before.

If the quotation is not correct, it is not.

The clarification from the SL Tribune is valid. And perhaps an apology for being inaccurate.

However, I can see many who are against LGBT rights hopping on this story. Making it into an issue.

'Look! Look! They are LYING!!'

So far, it seems like an honest mistake. However, claiming to know a persons INTENTIONS would be far-fetched, at best.

Besides, we have seen this from many, many sources.

*'President Obama's purported 'weird'-Mormon strategy against Mitt Romney will backfire, pundits say' - By Hal Boyd, Deseret News - 08/10/11

To date Obama & his staff have said zero.

No apology.

'A Heaven-Sent Rent Boy' - By FRANK RICH NY Times - 05/15/10

'...61-year-old (George) Rekers was caught by Miami New Times last month in the company of a 20-year-old male escort at Miami International Airport.'

George Rekers is a founding member of NARTH. A group that claims you can change orientation.

No apology.

*National Organization for Marriage (NOM) uses Photoshop to create Doctored Photos...' Huffington Post 10/26/11

No apology.

*Sen. Kyle mocked for making up numbers in abortion debate By Sarah Iraelsen-Hartley DSNews 04/12/11

No apology.

*'Brewer Finally Backpedals: I Was Wrong About Headless Bodies' 09/04/10 - By Ben Frumin - Talking Points Memo

No apology.

*'Walgreens Corrects Fox & Friends: We Don't Offer Pap Smears' - Media Matters - 04/11/11

No apology.

"The Iraqi regime . . . possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons. It is seeking nuclear weapons.' - George W. Bush - Ohio Speech 10/7/2002

*'US gives up search for Iraq WMD' - BBC News - 01/12/05
'Mr Duelfer reported last year that Iraq had no stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons at the time of the US-led invasion nearly two years ago.'

*'George W Bush says Iraq intelligence failure is his biggest regret' - By Alex Spillius - 12/01/08 - The UK telegraph
'Though the outgoing US president failed to take responsibility for the misfortunes that have beset the country during his eight years in office...'

No apology.

I'm not trying to justify anything, but we have a long proud history of 'mis spokes' from both sides here.

Also, and last, I think it would be NICE for some people who coninually hound LGBT persons about their 'imorral' behavior to apologize.

As, morality is never clearly defined. And is, often, abused.

As supported by:

*Survey links gay suicides to religious message - BY KRISTEN MOULTON SL TRIBUNE 02/17/11

*Gay teen suicide linked to conservative climates By Rosemary Winters SL Tribune 04/18/11

*'Teens gay or straight more likely to attempt suicide in conservative towns' - By LINDSEY TANNER - Medical Writer - AP - 04/18/11

*'Excommunicated From His Church, Gay Mormon Commits Suicide' - By Eric Ethington - Published by Affirmation - 09/24/11

*'Utahns think about suicide more than other Americans, study shows' - By Dennis Romboy, Deseret News - 10/21/11

And yet:

*'Gingrich pressed on affair' - 02/23/11 - CNN

"You adamantly oppose gay rights... but you've also been married three times and admitted to having an affair with your current wife while you were still married to your second," Friedman said....'

The SLTRIB should just change their name to the SLLIB! Facts have never gotten in the way of the SLLIB taking a good jab at the Church before? Why start now? Nice try Orme..Jeez!

Pagan: as much as I understand fight for acceptance of the LGBT, I don't like your constant quotes from newspapers. Newspapers are not reliable sources for information. They can be biased, the journalist might not know all the information and jump to conclusions, or the topic might be outside the knowledge base of the journalist (for instance, a journalist with a BA degree writing about condensed matter physics). In my profession only peer-reviewed articles are quoted, and even then we are careful with what we quote. Unless I review every single article you quote - if I can find it - I have no idea whether you are quoting accurately, in the spirit of the article, or whether you are only quoting that part that is in agreement with your position. I don't even know if the quoted article is accurate, or that it was corrected later. So, if you don't like the Salt Lake Tribune, and I know you don't like the Deseret News, find another source of information. I am sure you can find a newspaper to your liking, most likely outside Utah. Isn't the internet wonderful?

Journalists of all stripes have always struggled to maintain objectivity. They are, after all, human beings. Any journalist who claims to be totally objective 100% of the time is being far less than truthful. It looks as though the Trib reporter and/or editor heard what they wanted to hear...at least initially. It's too bad they published an inaccurate story...and equally too bad that few readers ever see clarifications or corrections.

Pagan, you are right no one should be hounded. There does need to be much sensitivity in how and when we address issues of all kinds. And this issue is especially sensitive on both sides.

I do not want to offend friends and loved ones who are gay but I do want to stand for what I beleive is right.

Elder Dallin Oaks gave a wonderful fireside on September 11 of this year Titled - Truth and Tolerance - I highly recommend it to all, it can be found on the LDS website. There are times and ways to speak out and times to refrain from speaking out. There are effective, meaningful ways to approach differences and carryout the discussion.

I also need to realize I have no right to be offended, if for instance someone says I am not Christian because I am LDS, but that I do have a responsibility to remember the Savior always and act as he would have me do regardless of differences. What a wonderful lifetime challenge.

Glad to see freedom of expression alive and well. Maybe.. just maybe we have more important things to worry about such as Iran building a nuclear bomb.... or something trivial like that. Facepalm.

@Pagan

I see your point. The fact of the matter is, there is no news source anywhere that is 100% unbiased, and I agree there are a lot of conservative news sources that twist things in similar fashion to the way the Tribune does.

I'm glad to see the Tribune has clarified the original article, and I'm glad we have good citizens like you who help keep the media honest.

I am curious to know why you posted this:

*'Utahns think about suicide more than other Americans, study shows' - By Dennis Romboy, Deseret News - 10/21/11

There was nothing in this article mentioned about the LGBT community. You may not be aware of this, but LDS people, as well as other Utahns get depressed sometimes too, especially when you consider:

Pastor (Robert) and Bill Maher agree: Mormonism is a cult - Raw Story 10/15/11

Lawrence O'Donnell's Latest Rant: Mormonism 'Demented, Ridiculous' - News Busters 12/08/07

This is a crucial issue.

There are many wonderful gays, and (as I've said often) faithful LDS gays are among the strongest of Saints.

The Tribune is a big part of the problem with other gays who promote hatred against LDS and other minority groups. They too often blame LDS for gay issues that exist everywhere (even far away from LDS, and where gays are powerful and accepted majorities, have been marrying for many years etc, and although LDS are generally more hated than gays (sometimes due to the TRibune and activists who promote anti-Mormonism on line, in Musicals, TV specials etc, even as far away Australia). Tribune comments are generally filled with hatred against LDS and they remove comments of LDS who kindly respond and try to build bridges and give accurate information. They removed my comments and blocked me for thoughtfully pointing out that, if the hateful things activists were saying about LDS were said about anyone else (especially gays) there would be outrage. The Tribune explained, in a letter to me, that they didnt have "time to learn about every ideology."

I'm not saying it's all bad, they do have Kirby but ; )....

Did the Deseret News even cover the Circling the Wagons Conference? I must have missed it.

Mea culpa, I did read the "Conference Explores Unique Challenges of Gay Mormons" article which was quite well done. Lesson learned: I shouldn't multi-task and try and eat at the same time.

Above, pagan posted some wonderful examples of misleading Tribune articles and misleading gay propaganda.

The article "Crafting Gay Children" paints a vivid and alarming picture of the activist media propaganda effort and since three fourths of those controlling what you read in the NY times are activists, we should also expect the misinforming propaganda from the Tribune.

Also, studies not discussed in Crafting Gay Children, indicate that:
1 Environment influences homosexuality more than genetics.
2 Gay marriage and promoting homosexuality affect all of us and do increase the numbers of your children who think they were born gay, and who may never be able to overcome it.

3 There are many wonderful gays, and all gays should be loved, perhaps even more than others because homosexuals show increases in many ills: including addiction, promiscuity, violence, etc These ills are prevalent far away from LDS and where gays are majorities, and factual evidence indicates that blaming religious persons encourages gays to commit suicide to make anti religious statements.

4 Some gays change (this ALSO from the Former President of the APA who is gay and was threatened by what he called the Special interest mafia for telling this truth).

The Church clearly is wanting to put on a happy face for the LGBT community. The LGBT community is strong and vocal, while the Church wants to be everyone's friend (except to the polygamists). The Brethren no longer speak out against homosexuality. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

anyone surprised that the trib ran an inaccurate story, misquoting and distorting the speaker's actual words and intentions, and stirred up as much controversy as possible...then ran a convenient "correction" the next day?

Modern day journalism at its finest. Run the story, THEN see if it is actually true...

Seems the story was accurate enough but the bishop didn't realize he would make news and now wants to backtrack.

He can have his views but he shouldn't be a bishop if he feels a need to speak against the members like this. He doesn't represent me or my views and has no right to apologize to gays on my behalf.

I am saddened by the direction of this article and many of the responses.