After Condemning DADT, Contessa Brewer Finds Herself in Right’s Crosshairs

July 13, 2010

After Condemning DADT, Contessa Brewer Finds Herself in Right’s Crosshairs

Tue, Jul 13, 2010 by Andrew Belonsky

MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer doesn’t have many fans on the right. Not anymore, at least, because social conservatives are absolutely up-in-arms over the fact that Brewer supports a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and will speak at an equality event, leading many people to conclude she’s part of the gay agenda and therefore unbiased. Isn’t it about time the right wing look in the mirror?

Brewer has a long history of fighting the good gay fight. Last November she suggested her approval of marriage equality and blasted anti-gay Bishop Harry Jackson. Also, during the entire Carrie Prejean scandal, Brewer tweeted that the homophobic beauty queen “she hates gay marriage but likes to take her shirt off.” Now she’s taking on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Brewer hit the nail on the head yesterday, when she insisted, “It is a civil rights issue. Let’s talk about the leadership here. Is it time for our American leaders to stand up for what’s right and no matter what public opinion polls say to have the leadership and the courage to take a stand on it?” Brewer believes that leaders do indeed need to stand up against anti-gay discrimination, and homophobic opponents are now taking aim at the journalist.

Scott Whitlock over at NewsBusters, which is run by the conservative Media Research Center, not only lambasted Brewer for speaking her mind, he also insisted that her forthcoming appearance at a pro-equality rally counts as a“conflict of interest.” “At no time [on Monday] did Brewer mention her speaking engagement or her conflict of interest. According to the Courier-Journal, last year’s “Fairness Over Louisville” raised $10,000 for gay rights.” I’m not so sure this counts as a conflict of interest.

There’s no doubt the state of news reporting has changed over the past few years. Very rarely do reporters take an entirely stoic, inhuman approach to news stories, a trend started perhaps by Fox News, which NewsBusters very rarely discusses.

Conservatives thrive off of, and encourage, the most blatant and gratuitous agendas among their broadcast starts, so for them to take on Brewer for a relatively tepid gay endorsement borders on the absurd.

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