Out of focus
I was dismayed to read Yasmin Nair's column ( Views, Aug. 20 WCT ) opposing our efforts to keep Focus on the Family's James Dobson out of the National Radio Hall of Fame ( NRHOF ) . The article was short-sighted, incoherent and failed to adequately inform readers about Dobson's anti-gay past.
Nair begins by saying that 'tuning out fundamentalists' is the appropriate response to preachers like Dobson—who once claimed that same-sex marriage will 'destroy the earth.' With all due respect, burying one's head in the sand and ignoring such rhetoric is never the solution and only encourages more hate speech. Nair seems blissfully unaware of how Dobson's hurtful words resonate in small towns across America and even Congress, where Dobson remains a powerful figure standing in the way of our equality.
Next, Nair incomprehensibly parrots the Radio Hall of Fame by saying, 'Dobson isn't being honored for his anti-gay message, he's being honored for having distinguished himself at the national level.' How is it possible to separate the two? Dobson distinguished himself at the national level, in part, with his virulent anti-gay jeremiads. Is Nair unaware that Dobson runs an 'ex-gay' road show, 'Love Won Out,' that he has promoted on his radio program and to the national media?
Nair goes on to say that we should not bother opposing Dobson because 'we have more significant work to do.' Did it ever occur to her that we have such a huge workload specifically because of people like Dobson who spend millions of dollars each year to demean GLBT people and claim they are unworthy of legal protection?
I was also baffled by Nair's ill-informed comments that we should 'focus our valuable time and resources on exposing Dobson's politics.' Truth Wins Out has spent tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours spotlighting Dobson's distortions of research. In the past two years we have found seven scientists in three countries who have claimed that he has distorted their work. We have filmed videos of these researchers and posted them on a Web site, www.RespectMyResearch.org . We have also countered the Love Won Out conference across the nation and will be in Anchorage, Alaska, to do so in a few weeks.
Finally, Nair seems to have little understanding of the voting process for the Radio Hall of Fame. This year the voting was opened up to the general public—thus, nominees could rally their listeners to vote them in. With Focus on the Family having more than 3,000 stations that air their show, they had a distinct advantage and the vote was essentially stacked. So, the vote does not reflect the 'people,' as Nair wrongly suggests.
Truth Wins Out opposes the induction of Dobson into the Radio Hall of Fame because it is wrong to honor a man who has built his empire on spewing hate and misinformation. It is also important to remember that Dobson is more than simply a radio host. His daily show is the centerpiece of a multimillion dollar right-wing movement that lobbies to keep GLBT people as second-class citizens.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame has kept out Pete Rose because of ethical lapses. NRHOF should do the same and rescind Dobson's invitation. We believe that character counts in deciding who should be honored, and Dobson has failed to meet this simple test.
Wayne Besen, Truth Wins Out
Yasmin Nair responds: Wayne Besen distorts my words; he's clearly learnt a lot from watching the right. I didn't suggest that tuning out fundamentalists is an appropriate response to them. I clearly indicated that it was a coping mechanism for me, and that we should be reminded of Dobson's hatemongering.
I indicated that the critique of NRHOF's voting process is fair game. Yet, Besen claims that I suggest that the vote reflects the 'people.' Discerning readers can check my original article and see the full extent of his distortions.
We have a right to voice our opposition to Dobson's politics and to wonder about who voted him in. And we have a right to oppose those, like Besen, who claim to speak for our community. His distortion of my words is an attempt to avoid my questions.
The induction should not be rescinded. The issue isn't character; it's politics. Neither is a good indication of someone's contribution to a field. It's a hall of fame, not a 'hall of noteworthy work and discernible influence.' For that, there are other organizations with different rules. No institution has a perfect system.
How would we respond if a lefty broadcaster's induction was stripped by the right? When the right changes election results, we correctly call it a dictatorship. What do we call ourselves when we use the same tactics?
