Bloggers prompt debate on how to fight anti-gay ministers

[kweerwolf]

When is outing, outing? And when is it a fishing expedition? And is the latter ever okay? These questions and many others are being raised in the wake of a campaign undertaken by activists and bloggers Keith Boykin and Jasmyne Cannick to "out" antigay ministers in predominantely African-American churches.

Last month, Boykin and Cannick profiled nine ministers on their Web sites (www.KeithBoynkin.com and www.JasmyneCannick.com). The profiles focused on the ministers' antigay comments and religious hypocrisy (see "Gang of Nine," below) Throughout the campaign, Boynkin and Cannick argued that the ministers' homophobic comments, in the absence of other evidence, suggested that they have some sort of unnatural obsession with homosexuality and that they may be gay themselves. Boykin and Cannick invited readers to send them any evidence they might have about the ministers' sexuality.

The fishing expedition created no small amount of controversy among their readers. One reader, a black gay man who identified himself as "Ron," told Boykin, "I have lost a lot of respect for you. You can disagree with Bishop Jakes, and I do. You can call him on the carpet about his biblical views. You can even protest him at his church. But, you lose my respect when you try to get personal." Another reader, who identified himself as "Bklynbro," praised the campaign and urged Boykin to "Call 'em ALL out."

And while Boykin and Cannick insist that their campaign is focused less on outing and more on drawing attention to the issue of homophobia in the black church, their tactics have made other activists working toward the same goal uneasy.

http://www.baywindows.com/media/paper328/news/2005/10/13/News/Dishin.The.Dirt-1019924.shtml