Lenoir-Rhyne University's alumni office must be figuring out how to showcase their new poster boy from the Class of 1982, Gary Glenn:
On Sunday, Glenn- elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2014 after previous, failed, campaigns for Congress in Idaho and the US Senate in Michigan- shared an "agenda alert" about the promotion of a journalist to news editor of a paper in his district, on Facebook and Twitter:
Agenda Alert -- Midland Daily News' new news editor: political science major who "lives in Midland with (his) husband"
What "agenda"? Why, the gay one, apparently. Whatever that is. Glenn has an idea: he has been president of the American Family Association of Michigan since 1999.
But when you consider Glenn has been a gay-baiter for two decades, it's not surprising at all. He was an author of Michigan's marriage equality ban and ran robocalls last year urging opposition to a county LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance. His record is so clear a group of Democrats organized "Gays Against Gary Glenn" to raise money for his opponent in last year's legislative contest. For some of his more strongly-held views, click here.
In fact, Glenn's outing of Midland Daily Record news editor Tony Lascari a bit daft: the practice arose in the 1990s as a response to public figures whose public positions were anti-gay and family-oriented, yet whose private conduct involved same-sex relationships. It was intended to highlight the hypocrisy of those who advanced their careers by condemning things they enthusiastically practiced on the side.
But it's difficult to out someone who has already done it himself, as Glenn knows, having quoted this at length on his Facebook page:
Family and nature are also important to Lascari.
“I enjoy spending time with my nieces and my nephew, I’m an occasional runner and I love spending time in Midland’s parks,” Lascari said. “I live in Midland with my husband, Mark.”
Along with that comes a love of travel, reading and movies.
“Traveling gives me a chance to reconnect with friends and family in other parts of the country while learning about other cultures,” Lascari said. “I also really like watching movies. It is another form of storytelling.”
Lascari's reporting seems resolutely non-gay-agenda-pushing. So what's the agenda Lascari is peddling? It must be somewhere in the article about his promotion:
An internship at the Ludington Daily News prepared Lascari for his tenure at the Daily News.
“It showed me what community journalism is in smaller towns — the impact the paper can have and the kinds of stories you can tell,” Lascari said. “I appreciated seeing that and it has directed where I’ve gone in my career.”
That path started in 2005 when the Daily News offered Lascari a position.
“I was interested in the position because it was the city government beat,” he said. “Since I had a major in political science, it fit with my interests.”
Since then, Lascari has covered a multitude of topics, including The Dow Chemical Co., Dow Corning Corp., Midland city government, health news, nonprofits and general assignments.“This is a great region to live in and there are always new stories to tell about our lives here,” Lascari said. “We want to reflect our community in our articles online and in the newspaper, while sharing information that is accurate, interesting and important. I’m glad I will continue to have a chance to be a part of that in my new role at the paper.”
Or is there a code in this comment, one that only Garry Glenn- who, apparently, is hypersensitive to the nuances of the Gay Agenda- can find?:
“I’m excited,” Lascari said. “I think it is a great fit for me. I’ve been learning the skills needed for it. I have a lot of the relationships in the community so I’ll be able to help shape our news coverage. I think it is an opportunity to bring some new ideas in.”
But here's the really odd thing about Lascari being a poli sci major: so is Gary Glenn, who definitely has an agenda.
Why not contact Rep. Glenn and ask him why he felt the need to "alert" his constituents?
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Postscript: Happily, Lenoir-Rhyne University doesn't share Rep. Glenn's views. One imagines he must be withholding alumni campaign support, so great must be his dismay.
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