CNN Discussing N.H. Paper’s Refusal To Print Gay Marriage Announcements

In their 10:00 AM ET hour today, CNN’s Kyra Phillips will be discussing the New Hampshire Union Leader’s refusal to print wedding announcements for same-sex couples. There’s a lively discussion on CNN’s blog. Sadly, most comments support the newspaper, whose publisher stated, “This newspaper has never published wedding or engagement announcements from homosexual couples. It would be hypocritical of us to do so, given our belief that marriage is and needs to remain a social and civil structure between men and women and our opposition to the recent state law legalizing gay marriage.”

My comment on their blog:

“Every local newspaper’s primary responsibility is to serve the needs of its citizens, and to help them understand a rapidly changing world. This Manchester paper, by failing to print wedding announcements for all couples equally, has failed its citizens and allowed its hubris, bigotry, and homophobia to rule, rather than journalistic common sense. And it has committed another journalistic sin: becoming the story, rather than reporting it.”

P.S. CNN, it’s the “Union-Leader,” not “Union Ledger.” And your statement, “New Hampshire is one of many states where gay marriage is legal and accepted,” is true only if you consider twelve percent to be “many.”