As I noted last week, Willamette Week writer Bryon Beck recently wrote an article claiming that The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright made " "homophobic tirades." Several people wrote WW letters asking that this completely false accusation be retracted. Today they printed my letter with a correction.
One of your authors, Mr. Byron Beck, wrote in WW [“Stand by Our Woman,” March 26, 2008] that Senator Barack Obama’s former pastor, Dr. Jeremiah Wright, had made “homophobic tirades.” This is completely false and requires a retraction from Willamette Week. Dr. Wright is a long-time supporter of the gay and lesbian community and his former church, Trinity United Church of Christ, provides leadership and advocacy in support of gay and lesbian causes. In fact, the United Church of Christ, which Trinity UCC is a part of, is the only mainline church to support marriage equality for gays and lesbians. As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I respectfully request that you correct the false reporting published in your paper.
This article from The Washington Blade will help to correct the record: washblade.com/2008/3-21/news/national.
The Rev. Chuck Currie
Interim Minister
Parkrose Community United Church of ChristByron Beck responds: Consider me corrected.
It would have been nice if Mr. Beck, after making such a serious and false statement about a strong supporter of the gay and lesbian community in Chicago, had also offered an apology.
