I read this article (at http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/7/282005a.asp) about an offending billboard advertisement for Gay.com, which was supposedly pornographic. I searched the site extensively looking for the porn. After a while, I asked myself if I was at the right site.

Id never been to Gay.com (http://gay.com/index.html) prior to all the brouhaha. Now, unless the page has had a major overhaul in the last four days, I dont see what the problem is. Ive seen raunchier stuff at cartoon network.com. There appears to be definately no porn to speak of at gay.com, and frankly, homosexual men going there to look for it will be highly disappointed.

The director of the group called Article 8 Alliance (http://article8.org/) denounced the page in no uncertain terms as a gay hook-up site. And whats wrong with a hook-up page ? I belong to a handful of straight dating sites. You cant tell me that most of the men that go there are not just looking for a hook-up. All of a sudden because the hook-ups are between gay men the page is lewd and obscene (read pornographic)?

To better understand the story you have to realize that Article 8 is a pro-family, very conservative group. A lot of things they say at their site have a definitive slant to their rants. I have to take Clear Channel to task for being a victim of their bullying, right-wing methods (As per the article, the media giant has subsequently removed the offending advert).

The article calls into question the manipulation of the American flag, but Ill leave that alone: I honestly do not know what is proper, ethical, legal, and fair in the handling of a national symbol (and besides, that is beyond the scope of this article). But if this had been a man and a woman in prominent display and the site in question had been named safesex.com (or something of that nature) would this have been such a big deal? Obviously not, as far as Alliance 8 goes.

Ive seen pornography. And believe me Gay.com aint it. Its just one of the more comprehensive and well-planned sites out there. I think we could at least Come Together on that opinion.