Does MSNBC Know It's Giving A Platform To An Anti-Gay Hate Group?

[Panich52]

Media Matters
MSNBC hosted a spokeswoman from a notorious anti-gay hate group twice in one day to discuss controversial "religious freedom" legislation, failing to identify her as an extremist who has opposed the decriminalization of gay sex.

On April 1, American Family Association (AFA) spokeswoman Sandy Rios appeared twice on MSNBC during segments discussing a number of controversial "religious freedom" laws being debated in state legislatures. The AFA has been labeled an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of its history of anti-gay extremism, including blaming gay men for the Holocaust and supporting the criminalization of homosexuality.

Rios herself is an anti-gay extremist who has denies that homophobia motivated Matthew Shepard's murder, opposed a Supreme Court decision decriminalizing gay sex, believes people can choose to "stop being gay," and has stated that being gay is "broken hearts, it's disease."

Rios appeared on NewsNation with Tamron Hall to defend Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), where she falsely claimed that RFRAs weren't intended to allow for anti-LGBT discrimination:

More
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/04/01/does-msnbc-know-its-giving-a-platform-to-an-ant/203139

Petition

As controversy builds over so-called "religious freedom" laws, why is MSNBC inviting an extremist hate group to speak for Christians?

The American Family Association has a long history of racist, homophobic, and anti-Muslim rhetoric, which has resulted in a hate group designation from the Southern Poverty Law Center.

But twice this week, MSNBC put a spokesperson from the group on air to defend anti-gay discrimination and claim it to be a matter of authentic religious conscience.

Countless mainstream Christian leaders have spoken out strongly against the Indiana law, but watching the news this Holy Week, you'd think Jesus died and rose again so that business owners could refuse to serve gay customers.

MSNBC should know better than to invite hate mongers on air to speak for Christianity.

Sign the petition:

The American Family Association is a hate group, not a legitimate representative of American Christians who overwhelmingly oppose discrimination. Stop offering them a platform on your network.

http://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/msnbc_afa_rfra/?t=1001&referring_akid=555.105408.i5lBpv
via Faithful America

[RKP5637]

1. MSNBC is all about $$$$$'s, they will air whatever they think generates revenue. Their

parent company is Comcast, and being semi-progressive is a marketing niche for MSNBC for revenue. I'm not surprised MSNBC did this.

[spanone]

2. any network that airs hour upon hour of joe scarborough is capable of anything

[Quackers]

3. Since it was on April 1st

Maybe it was a piss poor April fools joke.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. Shows how far they have to reach out into the fringe to find anyone to defend the right on this one.

[elleng]

6. Yes, for some sort of 'discussion.'

While I won't watch, I won't condemn them for this.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. This morning they even had to break out professional weasel Dan Senor to crap on the Iran agreement.

[Orsino]

5. Oh, I'm certain that MSNBC did its usual stellar job...

...of dissecting the AFA rep's position, showing that it is not based on reason or scripture.

Because not doing so would have been irresponsible.

[Hoyt]

7. Because we should be parading these ignorant right wing bigots around for all to see.

They aren't usually treated with any respect. I'm fine with publicly ridiculing them.

I'm not so sure the majority of "American Christians" are opposed to discrimination, certainly not in my red state.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. MSNBC had Pat Buchanan under contract and regularly on air, a racist, homophobic anti-Semite.

So no big surprise. It's a second rate outlet full of hacks who seek nothing but cash, the sort of 'talent' that does not give a shit if they have resources as long as they are being handed high dollar for themselves.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Ah yes, I now remember Tamron Hall. I looked it up, love that internet.

Smerconish was saying that Michele Bachman's anti gay rhetoric would turn off some conservative voters, citing gay Republicans and moderates and independents. Hall's response:
“It is one thing obviously for people to say they disagree with Congresswoman Bachmann and say that the things that she says are hateful – whatever. I am though intrigued by the number of people who want to change her opinion rather than accept that it is her view. . . . I am intrigued by how her husband’s clinic wants to ‘pray the gay away’ for some people and others would like to pray or inject into her their philosophy, their thoughts and their beliefs. I am intrigued by that. Why not accept her for who she is or who she says she is and decide if you are willing to vote for someone like that.”

Equates people standing up for equality to conversion therapy. Hateful? Whatever.

That was the last time I ever subjected myself to her worldview.

[justiceischeap]

11. I was actually thinking about this train of thought

on my way to work. According to most extremist religious people, being gay is a disease. If it's a disease that, theoretically can be cured, an argument could be made that LGBT folks have a disability (I'm not suggesting we do, I'm just following their "logic&quot . If LGBT folks are disabled then shouldn't our rights be protected under the disabilities act?

I'm just saying, that's where following their logic leads me.