Indiana Newspaper Publishes Same-Sex Marriage Announcement: Madness Ensues

When the Elkhart Truth published a same-sex wedding announcement for Micheal Berkey and James Chapin earlier this week, Hoosier fundies went bananas. The couple plan to be married July 25th in Iowa.

It didn't take long for the American Family Association of Indiana to start spinning and spreading lies. The group sent out an action alert to their sheep suggesting that the paper will soon start printing "anniversary announcements for polygamous marriages" and "incestuous birth announcements." So far the newspaper has stood its ground that same-sex marriage is legal in Iowa.

Would the Elkhart Truth publish ads for prostitution simply because it is legal in Nevada? What about late-term abortion advertisements from Kansas? How about accepting an obituary for someone planning to commit suicide in Oregon where euthanasia is legal?

Local anti-gay blogger Brian Sikma picks up the homophobic rallying cry but adds an important bit of information. He tells his readers, "You can reach John Dille III, CEO of Federated Media, by calling 574-295-2500 or email [e-mail]. Your polite but firm message to him, and his company, regarding this matter will make a difference." You can do the same thing, of course. You can also e-mail a letter to the editor of The Truth.

But the best part of this story is still to come...

Local anti-abortion wingnut legislator Jackie Walorski (she dooms Indiana's hate crimes legislation each year by insisting legislators vote on adding fetuses as a protected class) helped AFA-IN to raise the ruckus and brags about it on her blog.

Thanks to those of you that called or emailed me about the issue of printing same sex marriage photos in The Truth. I did an interview yesterday morning on WFRN and it sounds like hundreds of people responded. You might want to check out The Truth's editorial today, it seems as though they are rock solid in their decision and are amused at the response of those that disagree with their decision. You can still call and give your opinion; it seems as though they are tracking the responses.

The Truth responded to the criticism today with a barnstormer of an editorial that's definitely worth a read. While this clip is well-reasoned, you have to read the whole thing to get a real feel for how strongly supportive they are.

People wrote and called from throughout Indiana. Many expressed their sincere belief that homosexuality is a sin and that marriage is between a man and a woman. Others quoted straight from the Fred Phelps playbook, excoriating "fags" and "perverts."

Most asked the same questions -- why did you publish a same-sex engagement announcement when it's illegal in Indiana and why are you promoting the gay marriage?

Same-sex marriage is legal in Iowa, where the couple lives and plans to marry. Since one of the young men is originally from Elkhart and his family still lives here, we did the same thing we'd do for any other local family with a child getting married -- we published the couple's engagement announcement.

We fulfilled our role as a paper of record. We documented an engagement, something we do hundreds of times each year.

Protesters asked why we would publish a story about something illegal in Indiana. Basically, it's because an informed citizenry, a citizenry capable of thinking for itself, needs uncensored news from a variety of sources. That includes states and nations where the law does not conform to Indiana's.

Because after all, how would Hoosiers who oppose gay rights even know about Iowa's same-sex marriage ruling in April if news outlets hadn't reported it in Indiana -- where same-sex marriage is illegal?

Waloski's blog post adds some of the craziest shit I've seen her put out yet. The twists to her logic are amazing.

I spoke with Managing Editor, Greg Halling, to express concern as to why they would publish something that isn't legal here and in today's editorial they equate this decision with printing birth announcements even if the babies are born "out of wedlock" but being born out of wedlock isn't illegal and the birth is still recognized by the State as legitimate. It's the voters in Indiana that choose the laws and the community standard by which we live and are governed.

The absolute idiocy of Walorski's statement could knock you over with the sheer weight of all the o's in STOOOOPID. Since when do voters in Indiana choose whether or not the Elkart Truth can publish a same-sex marriage announcement? Was there an amendment added to our state DOMA that said, "And you can't publish announcements from out-of-state gay weddings either!"?

Walorski is too dim to realize that she's not "governed" by community standards either; statistics say that a good portion of her community is adulterers. Does this mean she'll be cheating on her spouse soon? A good portion are also drug users. Will Walorski pick up the crack pipe?

Cuz I'm guessing that a story about state legislator Jackie Walorski caught smoking crack while cheating on her husband would be newsworthy (if true!) -- even though smoking crack is against the law in Indiana.

(Crossposted from my home blog, Bilerico Project. Come visit me there to see why both the Washington Post and the Advocate named us one of the top 10 LGBT political blogs in the nation.)

Follow Bil Browning on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bilerico

Comments

[JohnHedtke]

After decades of living in Seattle, my wife's job required us to move to Fort Wayne, IN, in 2002. We did 2 years there. I must've killed 20 or 30 people in a previous life and then danced around their bodies laughing to have merited that kind of punishment, but after 2 years, I'm all paid up, thanks.

I had certainly heard about "Flyover America" before, but I had no idea of what it was really like. Hoosiers as a group seem to be enormously proud of their ignorance, their lack of culture, and public shows of piety. I was born in the 50s, but I never wanted to live in them. After 2 years of this place, my wife got a promotion that took us back to the PacNW and civilization. Huge sighs of relief all 'round.

The kind of room-temperature IQ antics of the locals doesn't surprise me (though I continue to be disgusted). They don't care to move out of the past there, unfortunately, and most of the smart kids who go to school elsewhere get their eyes opened and leave for broader shores, greener pastures, and the 21st century. As for me, I never want to go back to the state that had me wishing I lived in Texas the last year I was stuck there.

[emcslead]

So let me get this right....if it's illegal in Indiana, then they can't publish stories about it. So does it follow for Ms. Walorski that:

- stories about robberies committed can't be published?

- stories about murders can't be published?

- Stories about Madoff's crimes can't be published?

- Stories about rapists can't be published?

- Stories about pedophiles being caught can't be published?

- stories about bombing abortion clinics can't be published?

Where exactly does it end, Ms. Walorski?

[Whatevah]

As a former Hoosier, I think this story is high-larious, and I am grateful that you informed me of this development. Nothing pleases me more than to see religious wingnuts squirming in discomfort.

I personally believe that the hysteria over such a reasonable development is good for the cause of gay rights. Even in Indiana, where the homophobia is thick as a brick, most people will recognize that this is the dumbest thing the fundies have done since the last dumb thing.

[Aidan Cecchetti]

So are these people saying that if say, anyone in the United States did something that is against the law in Indiana, that it shouldn't be published in their newspapers because the action is not legal there? So they just want to be sheltered? It wouldn't matter to these people what the law is, whether same sex marriage is legal or not, they would be complaining about this either way. The fact of the matter is that they are bigots, they don't like gay people, and they don't want to read about them in their newspaper. Frankly, they should get over it. This is just a blatant attack by the social conservatives and their hick cronies on the freedom of the press. And are these people in Indiana that delusional as to think that the newspapers care as to whether or not they agree with what is published? Seriously, WAKE UP, no one cares.

[gogatorsbaby]

as I now work in Southern Indiana, I am constantly perplexed by the state, its laws and some of its citizens. ... But more importantly since when do we have to agree with everything a newspaper prints? I may not be interested in the local farmers market, who sold their house to who and for how much, the weather in Alaska, the local softball team, or the local politician whose views and opinions I fervently disagree with but that doesnt give me the right to tell a newspaper not the print the information. If you are not interested then dont read it!!

[LeftRight]

THANK YOU!!!

[MichaelMcKLA]

Well stated, Bill. And that editorial was right on target. Thank you.

[mredder4]

From the editorial, one of the most tragically (yet comically) ironic things I've read in a long time:

"That is, until a pair of family advocacy groups, abetted by a local AM radio station, organized a protest against The Truth."

[CornetMustich]

Kudos to Michael and James on their upcoming marriage.
And kudos to Iowa and New England for supporting civil marriage.
I've been busy officiating for many couples who are coming to CT to wed this summer from around the country. Congrats to all of them!

Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace.
Washington, Connecticut

And to the marriage foes, please find something else to do with your time, because life's too short. Find love.
And remember, marriage licenses are issued by town halls not church laws, as marriage is firstly a civil matter. And in America, we have freedom of religion and freedom from religion too.
So get used to it and move on.

http://justicesofthepeace.blospot.com

[JohnFromCensornati]

These people are insane, but that's religion.
This type of behavior proves that they are not satisfied with denying the use of the English word "marriage" to gay people. They don't even want to see mention of us in a private newspaper. They would like to end our existence.

[mcthfg]

Anyone have a list of fundie-run business in Indiana? Buy Blue seems to not be around anymore...

[LeftRight]

So wait..... They are complaining because the for profit newspaper took some money and printed an announcement like they would do for any other couple....... As for the concerns about what OTHER ads they might publish.....

Prostitution: If someone were to write an ad for the Bunny Ranch in Nevada in that paper? Yeah, they should take it.

Euthanasia: If someone has already been killed by Doctor Assisted Suicide in one of the states where it's legal?? Why not?

Late Term Abortion: Again, if someone were to write an ad for whomever is going to replace Dr Tiller, then they SHOULD run it!!