Was Memories Pizza a Victim of Irresponsible Journalism? Yes.

First things first: We must learn the term "yellow journalism"   "Yellow journalism is exaggerated or biased media reporting that is disguised as fact. Originating out of an intense competition between rival newspapers in the late 1800s, it involves taking a factual story and presenting it in a sensational or distorted way. It may be used to invoke fear, loathing, uncertainty or even sympathy in readers, but often, the bottom line is an attempt to boost sales or viewership and gain more market share." . . . and, I might add, Democrat voters.


Reason.com    Reason.com's position: "Memories Pizza, while not as gay-affirming as many of us would like, didn't announce pending discrimination."

  "Many in the media—particularly on the right—are now accusing those who reported and re-reported the story of irresponsible journalism. And they have a very good case.

"The owners of Memories Pizza, the O'Connor family, did not willingly seek out controversy, deny service to a gay person or couple, or even go out on a limb to suggest that they would. No, they merely responded to a question from Alyssa Marino, a local reporter for ABC 57 News who had come to their shop in search of a story.

"And they did give her a story—but not the one she reported. Her initial headline was "RFRA: First Michiana business to publicly deny same-sex service" (Michiana is the region in Indiana where Memories Pizza is located). That headline implies two things that are false. The O'Connors had no intention of becoming the first Michiana business to do anything discriminatory with respect to gay people; they had merely answered a hypothetical question about what would happen if a gay couple asked them to cater a wedding. And the O'Connors had every intention of providing regular service to gay people—just not their weddings." . . .

. . . "The people who made those threats are at fault, but so are the journalists who erroneously reported on this story—who made a merely unfriendly policy seem like a declaration of pending discrimination against the next gay person to walk through the front door of Memories Pizza."

 

Sorry, Media: Polls Show Majorities Side with Indiana’s Christian Pizzeria   "A Marist poll taken just last month found that 54% of those polled, including a 47% – 45% plurality of Democrats, agreed with “allowing First Amendment religious liberty protection or exemptions for faith based organizations and individuals even when it conflicts with government laws.' ”

 Tucker Carlson: Gay Activists “Are Jihadis, People Who Want To Make You Obey” Or “They Will Crush You” 

Ann Coulter: “We have a different hate campaign each week.”. . . " She pointed out that the left has adopted a regular cycle of outrage which usually turns out to be false. She also urged Republicans and conservative Christians to stand up to bullies." Video

Memories Pizza Owner: We Plan to Re-Open Soon . . . "Said O'Conner, "It is not a sin that we bring gays into our establishment and to serve them. It is a sin, though, if we cater their wedding. We feel we are participating, we are putting a stamp of approval on their wedding."

"A fundraiser was started for the owners of Memories to support them and the public has raised more than $485K."

ESPN's Olbermann Still Wants Final Four Out of Indianapolis "After Louganis unsurprisingly called for full repeal of the “ridiculous” religious freedom bill, Olbermann—who said he would have to restrain himself from giving his full political opinion unless he got his old show back—repeated his call for moving the Final Four from the “anti-LGBT” state:" . . .