GLAAD Talks with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
GLAADAlert, March 20, 1998
The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Recently, GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry had a productive conversation with the
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's publisher, Walter Hussman, following the paper's
repeated publishing of the names of those arrested in police raids of men seeking sex with
other men in public parks. The practice of publishing the names, which Hussman defended as
"consistent" with the editorial policy, continued even after one man committed
suicide because his name was published (see GLAADAlerts 2.6.98, 2.20.98, 2.27.98).
In a March 16 letter following their phone conversation, GLAAD requested the newspaper
reconsider the policy of printing the names of men arrested for misdemeanor sex crimes.
"You began our conversation indicating that you felt as if your organization was
being misrepresented as 'anti-gay,' and pointed to a history of support on your
pages," said Garry in the letter. "You pointed to the [paper's] criticism of the
arcane [Arkansas] sodomy laws.... We at GLAAD applaud you for recognizing that laws and
policies must be scrutinized continuously and altered when that scrutiny uncovers flaws.
The Democrat Gazette would be well advised to consider an evaluation on its
editorial policy in this light. I appreciated your thoughtful interpretation and defense
of your policy but see all too clearly that this policy (like the sodomy laws) is
seriously flawed and requires a change.... When you answered the question 'how was the
public interest served by printing the man's name?' with 'It was in keeping with our
editorial policy,' I did not find that a compelling response. The gentleman's suicide note
was infinitely more compelling to me. It is our obligation to make our community aware of
injustice wherever it exists. But we also inform our community of media outlets striving
for fairness. We would love to count the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette among the
latter."
Please politely encourage the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to review their
editorial policy.
Contact: Walter E. Hussman, Jr., Publisher
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
121 E. Capital
Little Rock, AR 72201-5734
501.378.3485
fax: 501.372.3908
news@ardemgaz.com
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