American TV station pulls homophobic infomercial after gay complaints
A local television station in the United States has pulled a one hour programme paid for by a notoriously homophobic “family” group.
The American Family Association (AFA) had paid for airtime on WOOD-TV in Michigan to screen Speechless: Silencing the Christians.
It claims to “reveal the truth about the radical homosexual agenda and its impact on the family, the nation and religious freedom.”
WOOD-TV General Manager Diane Kniowski said earlier this week that it would not run the AFA programme this Saturday as planned.
“Our station is being bombarded with calls and messages, and we find ourselves in the middle of someone else’s fight,” she said.
“Ours was a fair offer and we are removing ourselves from this matter.”
The programme, which is available online, claims hate crimes laws target preaching what the Bible says about homosexuality, gays play a key role to play in the spread of all STDs and HIV/AIDS and employment protection based on sexual orientation will force churches to hire homosexuals.
The Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organisation, had urged its members to contact the station and ask that they pull the programme.
“I am so proud of our members who answered the lies and distortions of the AFA and stopped this campaign of hate and deception,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.
“Our community stood up and would not let those lies stand.
“This should be our wake up call. We are poised to make real progress, for the first time, for millions of LGBT Americans.
“We know it and so do our opponents.
“We must stand guard and not allow them to stop these overdue, basic protections by rolling out the same, tired script albeit in new packaging.
“Today’s action proves we have the voices and the power to demand a fair fight and a fair debate.”
The AFA programme is shown on Christian cable networks.
“The 13-week series will air on INSP each Saturday night,” according to the programme’s website
“It will be posted on SilencingChristians.com at the same time.”
It is hosted by Janet Parshall. In 2006 she suggested Matthew Shepard’s lifestyle was responsible for his murder and called gay adoption “state-sanctioned child abuse.”
Click here to watch the programme.
The AFA “motivates and equips citizens to change the culture to reflect Biblical truth and traditional family values.”
It has organised a series of boycotts against companies they claim “promote” a gay lifestyle by supporting gay equality groups or featuring positive representations of gay and lesbian people in their advertising.