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| Bob Schieffer |
Anti-gay conservatives are criticizing CBS News' Bob Schieffer for correctly identifying one of his guests as the president of an anti-gay "hate group," accusing him of "anti-Christian bias" for doing so. The outrage over Schieffer's disclosure highlights why it's so important for the media to hold extremists accountable for their views when they appear.
During the April 26 edition of CBS' Face the Nation, Schieffer invited Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC), to discuss the Supreme Court's upcoming oral arguments on marriage equality. Schieffer began the interview by noting that FRC has been listed as an anti-gay "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and citing critics who argue that Perkins' extreme views don't represent the views of most Christians . . .
The right-wing outrage following Schieffer's interview illustrates why it's so important for the media to properly identify members of hate groups when using them as sources or booking them as guests. Hate group leaders like Perkins know that they won't be taken seriously if audiences are informed about the fringe extremism that motivates their anti-LGBT politics. Hate groups thrive when they're able to disguise themselves in the mainstream media as serious, reasonable policy organizations.
Perkins will likely think twice before agreeing to appear on CBS again, and that's a good thing. Hate groups should be afraid of the sunlight and accountability that results from appearances in major media, which has a responsibility to reveal the agenda behind the facade.
Read the entire piece - Why Anti-Gay Conservatives Are So Mad At Bob Schieffer