Mailbag: the Good, the Bad and the Clueless

As Alaska's only LGBT news and events blog, Bent gets mail with a variety of questions, suggestions and tips. In addition to events and news from locals, this week included a donation, a hater, a rude reporter and a clueless outsider.

The Good

A wonderful reader made a donation to Bent Alaska through the donation button on the blog. THANK YOU. As a volunteer blogger, I write because it's important and useful and fun. I also appreciate contributions, for the financial support and for the compliment that you consider Bent worthy of support.

If you like Bent, please consider making a contribution through the Donate button on the top right side of the blog. Thanks!

The Bad

As an LGBT blog in the moderate main city of a conservative state, Bent also receives mail full of anger, fear and hate. I don't take it personally - those messages say more about the person who spent several minutes of their life attacking someone they have never met just because that person is different. For example, today's hater said that I'm going to Hell for being gay, a common theme:

"Homosexuality is a sin against God. God loves you so much. He will allow you to live a lie if you so choose; not because He hates you, because He is HOLY, set apart from sin. Your sin will result in death. You will spend eternity in hell - forever seperated from God. You must repent of your sin, and except Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. If you are a homosexual, repent. Your eternity draws near."

This comment was on a post about Jerry Prevo calling gay Christians "deadly" and attacking the popular Christian musician Ray Boltz, who is gay and recently performed in Anchorage. Since Prevo is not HOLY and he spreads lies about us all the time, I guess this hater thinks Prevo's lies will result in his death.

The Good and Bad

Bent gets media requests from local reporters as well as from LGBT news agencies all over the country. The national focus is often "What is it like to be gay in Sarah Palin's home state?" and "I'd like to interview someone gay in Wasilla."

The local reporters ask about specific topics, and they're reporting LGBT stories more often since the equal rights ordinance. The LGBT community has developed good connections with the local reporters.

Last week, I had an unpleasant exchange with a straight young reporter I'd never heard of. He kept asking for my phone number, over and over, but offered no reason to work with him - no story, no introduction, no knowledge of LGBTQ issues - and was rude when I declined.

This reminds me to be grateful for all the polite media professionals - print, online, TV & radio - who report our community's news with accuracy and respect. Thank you.

The Clueless

Bent Alaska has many readers who subscribe to the blog through RSS and email. They get each post when it's published, with all the photos and links, including the title linked to the post's permanent page and the words "You are subscribed to Bent Alaska" with the blog name linked to the home page. [The subscribe tabs are on the top right side of the blog.]

One subscriber from the Lower 48 clicked the Reply link and asked, "Do you have a website?"

We all have brain-dead moments, and I try to be polite no matter how absurd the question. I explained that yes, this post came from my website.

His reply: "What is the address of your website?"

Clueless.