Posted on 06/19/2004 6:29:07 AM PDT by Biblebelter
WICS anchor under fire for criticizing gay activist Garcia's comments on Reagan led to confrontation
By SARAH ANTONACCI STAFF WRITER
A WICS-Channel 20 anchor is under fire after she publicly criticized a gay activist who signed the Ronald Reagan remembrance book in the Statehouse with comments unfavorable to the deceased president.
Rick Garcia, political director of the gay rights group Equality Illinois, said he was shocked when Julie Staley pointed him out to a security guard and called him "tasteless," "classless" and a "big loser."
The story since has been retold in the Chicago Reader, an alternative weekly publication, as well as on the journalism-related Web site www.Poynter.org, which has a media gossip column where Staley's actions have been harshly criticized.
Staley was not at work Friday and did not return a message left at her home.
Her boss, WICS general manager Jack Connors, said he believes the encounter between Staley and Garcia was "an interpersonal issue between two individuals, and people will get along or not get along based on whatever they perceive to be the relationship."
Connors said both Staley and Garcia should be free to express their opinions.
Garcia said he believes that Staley, who was at the Capitol working on a story about the Reagan remembrance book, should have been able to put aside her personal feelings.
"I've been an activist for a long time, nearly 30 years. I deal constantly with reporters, and this is the first time I've ever seen someone with such unprofessional behavior," Garcia said, adding that he's never complained about a reporter before.
Garcia said he was at the Capitol when he saw Staley and Channel 20 cameraman Curt Claycomb standing near a man and two children who were signing the book. Staley was working on a story about the book being at the Statehouse.
"There was no one around, so I got in line and signed the book with my memory of Ronald Reagan," Garcia said.
His entry was, "My memory of President Ronald Reagan: Thousands of American men, women and children were dying from HIV and AIDS during his administration. The president did nothing. The president said nothing. Not until the very end of his second term was he even able to utter the word AIDS. Reagan's silence and his administration's policies contributed to the suffering and dying of thousands of men, women and children. I mourn the president the way he mourned these men, women and children - with silence. May God forgive him, I can't. Rick Garcia."
Garcia said he then left to run errands at the Statehouse.
Staley told the Chicago Reader the tape in her camera had run out and she was on a break. She said she decided to sign the book herself - she told the weekly that she, her family and her husband's family were all Reagan supporters - but when she saw what Garcia had written, she thought it was cruel.
"I was very incensed," she told the magazine. "I loved Ronald Reagan."
She also told the Reader that WICS's cameraman told a security guard about Garcia's remarks.
Garcia said he rounded a corner to see Staley, Claycomb and the security guard standing together.
"'There he is,' she screeches at me. She is livid. And she starts saying, 'You're tasteless. You're classless.' She was clearly upset. I told her that speaking the truth is not tasteless. The guard asked me, 'Why don't you show some respect?' Then she started saying, 'You're a loser, a big loser.'"
Staley told the Chicago Reader she wouldn't deny making the comments.
Garcia said he called WICS twice and both times was told that someone would call back. "No one has ever called," he said Friday.
"It's a pretty pathetic reporter that can't handle or take the truth," he said. "Maybe she ought to limit herself to covering Girl Scout cookie sales and bake sales - as long as she can control her emotions over the brownies."
Connors said he had been out of town, but that he'd be glad to call Garcia.
Sarah Antonacci can be reached at sarah.antonacci@ sj-r.com.
In some counties/cities/states, it's still against the laws to show expressions of love to your spouse,
but IF YOU ARE GAY/LESBIAN you have every right, and everyone else has to just put up with it?
BAH!
If a conservative said this about and NPR reporter or Barbara Walters? All hell would break lose.
So it had absolutely nothing to do with gay activists treating AIDS as a political tool? It had nothing to do with continued use of dirty needles and risky sexual practices even after those activites were known to spread AIDS?
And there's no appropriate time and place for that expression? No, it was not illegal for the poof to make his comments. But it was, as Staley said, tasteless, classless, and the mark of a self-absorbed loser.
"... Reagan's silence and his administration's policies contributed to the suffering and dying of thousands of men, women and children.
Not nearly as much as the actions of those men. Women and children are infrequent victims of AIDS, unless it's passed to them by perverted men. Where's the blame for the CAUSE of the suffering? Oh, I see. Easier to blame the president than your own immorality.
May God forgive him, I can't.
I don't know that God has anything to forgive from Ronald Reagan on that score, (p)Rick. But I reckon YOU'LL have some 'splain' to do.
garcia is 1/3 right. 1000s of gay men were dying. only a very few weman and children died and they did thanks to the gay men.
The virus was discovered during his administration. His administration was the first to spend tens-of-thousands of dollars on research for the cause and cure.
As usual, gay activists ignore the facts and use the issue for political gain.
The media scumbags get the vapors over someone who actually has some decency and class.
Thousands of American men, women and children were dying from HIV and AIDS during during the decade of the 80s yet the homosexuals, like me, continued with their wreckless, unhealthy, deviant lifestyle to spread the virus. The President did nothing to spread the virus. It was us but we need someone to blame. Could he have said or done anything that would cause us to change our behavior? No, just like nothing any other president has said or done since has stopped us or prevented AIDS. Reagan's silence and his administration's policies was not the cause, it was us. We just don't want to admit the truth as doing so might paint "the alternative lifestyle" in the negative light that it so rightly deserves."
From the title of the article posted I thought that the journalist took a stand agains HIV virus, for what other meaning could one assign to "venom of gay activist"?
"She has just as much of a right to free speech, as "HE" now has to free expression of immoral behavior!"
But it's to our advantage when the looney left keep exposing their flagrant hypocrisy. Let the tinpot tyrants continue to prove to the world their double standards ie., allow them to wallow in their own misery.
"His administration was the first to spend tens-of-thousands of dollars on research for the cause and cure."
Tens of thousands of dollars?
Try $5.7 billion.
Qwinn
"The media scumbags get the vapors over someone who actually has some decency and class."
Of course, it goes against their deviant core belief system.
Radical militant gays are compulsive about drinking from the river of denial and the HIV positive sperm from the tricks they pick up in darkened parks and restrooms.
Pity the souless ghouls.
Well Stracy spoke the truth, the fag lied.
"Well Julie spoke the truth, the fag lied."
Yes, (sigh) Liars just hate that about us truth sayers.. eh heh :D (Big grin) ta ta
Not a pretty picture. It's much easier to blame someone else than be responsible for the consequenses of perversion.
Who is Julie, and why did you deliberately mis quote me?
Hmmm, Looks like I had a serious typo, oh well, old eyes.
What else would you expect from garcia--he believes that if it feels good, do it. No sense of decorum or self control.
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