How wrong was Asheville Citizen-Times in allowing anti-homosexual ads?

By Byron Belzak, Publisher-Editor, DowntownAsheville.com

 

 “In allowing the use of the word ‘sodomites,’ we allowed an entire group of people to be referred to with disrespect and contempt. … For having done so, we are truly sorry.”

- Asheville Citizen-Times 

Quote in its Opinion section, page A6, March 11, 2006, entitled “On homosexual issues, Christians should heed greatest commandment”

 

On the day of "The Runion Rally" in downtown Asheville, "Asheville Citizen-Times" published its response to acknowledged criticism of its decision to publish two, full-page ads, two days prior on March 9, 2006, paid for by “Christians United with IBOM,” a group apparently associated with J. Wendell Runion that opposes the hiring of gays and lesbians.

 

Wendell Runion is apparently founder of International Baptist Outreach Mission (IBOM Inc.), co-founder of "We Still Pray," general manager of WKJV radio. Runion is co-organizer of the March 11, 2006 public rally in downtown Asheville by “Citizens Concerned For Biblical Values,” in association with rally co-organizer Larry Stephen Sprouse.

"We failed ..."

 

On Saturday, March 11, 2006, “Asheville Citizen-Times” publicly acknowledged that it had “failed” its readers, but in the same editorial defended its responsibility to publish two ads paid for by “Christians United with IBOM” on March 9, 2006.

 

The IBOM paid ads denounced homosexuality and promoted a downtown Asheville rally on March 11, 2006, to support businesses, such as Wolf Laurel Ski Slopes in Madison County, North Carolina, that refuse to hire gays and lesbians.

 

"Sodomites"
The controversial ads, one of which called homosexuals “sodomites,” were published Thursday, March 9, 2006, in the Asheville Citizen-Times, a Gannett-owned daily and part of the largest newspaper publisher in the United States. Gannett Co., Inc., publishes “USA Today,” as well as 91 daily newspapers, almost 1,000 non-daily publications and operates 21 television stations in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, Gannett is known as “Newsquest,” and publishes 17 daily newspapers and over 300 non-daily publications. For more information, visit www.gannett.com.

 

"On homosexual issues..."
In its editorial, entitled “On homosexual issues, Christians should heed greatest commandment,” the Citizen-Times continued to make no reference to the group or groups known as “Christians United with IBOM,” which had paid for the ads.

 

Readers' outcry

 

Asheville Citizen-Times (AC-T), a Gannett-owned newspaper and Asheville area’s only daily newspaper, acknowledged, “Many members of the community called to denounce the newspaper ...” for running two full-page ads earlier in the week that denounced gays and lesbians, and that advocated support of the ad’s listed businesses who support the refusal of hiring gays and lesbians.

 

The ads provided no specific contact information about the group or groups known as “Christians United with IBOM.” This omission may have caused some confusion of identity. There is a 33-year-old Montreat-based organization known as “Christian United Believers.”

 

Christian United Believers is not IBOM

A Christian United Believers spokesperson confirmed on Thursday to DowntownAsheville.com that it was “not involved” with the ads or the March 11 Pack Square rally. In a separate report in its Saturday paper, the Citizen-Times announced an upcoming event sponsored by Christian United Believers (www.cbu.org) in its Religion Notes on page C3.

 

It remains unknown whether “Christians United” is a separate organization that is working in cooperation with IBOM, or whether “Christians United with IBOM” is a separate entity. DowntownAsheville.com continues to seek clarity from the Citizen-Times and other sources.

 

Who is "Christians United with IBOM"?

Previously, a Citizen-Times advertising representative declined to identify who purchased the ads. A Citizen-Times religion reporter said he had no contact information regarding “Christians United” or “IBOM” or “Christians United with IBOM.”

 

IBOM appears to be the acronym for “International Baptist Outreach Missions.” It is unknown without total certainty at the time of this report whether “IBOM, Inc.” and “International Baptist Outreach Missions” and IBOM referred to in the Citizen-Times published ads are all one and the same.

 

The March 11 Citizen-Times' editorial "On homosexual issues ..." did nothing to explain who paid for the controversial ads, or who was responsible for their content or who, if anyone, owned the copyright, or how readers might respond directly to the organization(s) and/or individuals known as "Christians United with IBOM." The mystery remains.

 

DowntownAsheville.com Uncovers IBOM and Runion's Rally
DowntownAsheville.com, an online community news source published by MediaBear, dubbed the IBOM paid announcement event as “The Runion Rally.” There was good reason: J. Wendell Runion, who apparently founded IBOM in 1996, was listed first as one of two contact individuals on the Asheville Parks and Recreation’s official event permit form. The person who was co-listed and wrote the check for the special event permit fee to the City of Asheville Parks and Recreation department purportedly said that he did it on behalf of "his friend," J. Wendell Runion.

 

More About J. Wendell Runion
Wendell Runion is perhaps most recognized in Asheville and Western North Carolina as one of the founders of an entity known as “We Still Pray” (www.westillpray.com). Runion was involved with a massive rally involving We Still Pray in August, 2000, which snarled traffic for hours in the Reynolds High School area of east Buncombe. The issues surrounding that event and involving "spontaneous prayer" gained national attention.

 

IBOM, I.B.O.M. Inc., and IBOM Inc. are apparently the acronym for the same organization, International Baptist Outreach Mission, which Runion founded. IBOM apparently owns WKJV (www.WKJV.com). Runion is general manager of WKJV. WKJV Radio was one of dozens of businesses and churches publicly listed in the announcement ad as a supporter of "The Runion Rally."

 

Citizen-Times Defends Its Decision

 

The AC-T editorial defended its decision as an obligation to publish the two full-page, black-and-white “Christians United with IBOM” ads that denounced gays and lesbians.

 

AC-T said: “We strongly support the right of all citizens to publicly present their opinions, whether or not we agree with them, and it was that paramount value that caused us to accept the advertisement for publication.”

 

AC-T Editorial

 

The newspaper’s carefully worded editorial, an “offer of apology,” appeared in its Saturday, March 11, 2006, issue in the Opinion section on page A6. For the complete “On Homosexual Issues” editorial published online Saturday, March 11, 2006, click here or visit: 

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060311/OPINION01/60310033/1006/OPINION.

 

In analyzing some of the sentences in the Citizen-Times’ March 11, 2006, “On Homosexual Issues” editorial, it could be argued that it was more legalistic than apologetic. For example: “While we regret the use of inflammatory and disrespectful language, we believe we made the right decision in allowing the individuals, businesses and churches who sponsored the advertisement to speak their minds, even though the publisher and editorial board of this newspaper fervently disagree with their position and have and continue to support the rights of all citizens, including those who are gay.”

 

AC-T also quoted Jesus Christ more than once from the King James version of the Bible to support its instructive if not preachy headline of “On homosexual issues, Christians should heed greatest commandment” editorial. For example: “And in Mark, Chapter 12 verses 29-31, he is quoted thus: ‘The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart … this is the first commandment. And the second is … Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.’”

 

What will citizens say now?

It is likely that AC-T's decision to run the ads will continue to reverberate throughout Asheville and the region.

 

Perhaps in recognition of, or in anticipation of, further criticism, the Citizen-Times’ first public explanation justifying its advertising decision to accept the anti-gay ads that were paid for by “Christians United with IBOM” stated: “ … we [Asheville Citizen-Times' editorial board] believe in a free and open debate, in a free and open society, and the right of people on both sides of the issue to try to persuade others to their point of view.”

 

Your invitation to respond

 

Indeed, let both sides -- let all sides -- of the debate continue.

 

Email your responses to: byron(at)mediabear.com or Click Here> | Or mail your welcomed letters of opinion to: MediaBear, P.O. Box 902, Skyland, NC 28776.

 

Copyright 2006 MediaBear

 

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