Earlier, Two Episodes of Weirdness At The Washington Post Magazine

December 23rd, 2005 11:12 PM

The little Washington Post Magazine that comes with the Sunday paper had two episodes of weirdness this week. First, to promote their typically one-sided sympathetic cover story on two lesbians who felt forced to move out of "backward" Virginia as it voted to prevent so-called "gay marriage," Post reporter Michelle Boorstein signed on the Post "Discussions" site Monday at midday to answer reader questions. (The article's tilted title was "Paradise Lost: After years of hiding their love, Barbara Kenny and Tibby Middleton found a place where they felt comfortable being a couple -- until Virginia's lawmakers chased them across the Potomac." Not that they felt chased, but that they were chased, as if the legislators were running behind them with pitchforks.)

Instead of taking the heat of discussion, Boorstein decided instead to just post reader responses like it was a glorified letters-to-the-editor page, not a place for her to answer hostile and loving questions alike. Boorstein answered only nine questions, and posted without comment over 40 others. Hey, Posties, is this an online "chat" or just another discussion board?

A profile article under the title "First Person Singular" focused on Republican lobbyist and TV personality Angela McGlowan. But the Post Magazine profile never mentioned what makes this beautiful black woman different from the norm -- that Republican resume.