The biggest news in New York State’s gay rights this week is nowhere to be found in the NY Times. But, luckily, there’s a puffy piece about how a blogger on his site “Justinsomnia” pissed off a Christian organization that turns gays straight. He ripped off Exodus’ advertisement that says “Gay? Unhappy?” so that on his blog it says, “Straight? Unhappy?” The group that offers “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ” was going to sue Justin, they even sent cease and desist letters, but according to USA Today, they have since dropped the charges. Once the guy got the ACLU on board, they backed up.

Oh yeah, there was another story. Mayor Bloomberg met with a bunch of gay and lesbian leaders this week to discuss the prospect of winning same sex marriage rights in New York. While the Times was out reporting that tired old story about the Christian group in a huff, Gay City News reported this breakthrough. Bloomberg who has told his gay constituents that he supports gay marriage, has also, in the past backpedaled and maneuvered to avoid taking a public stance. At this meeting however, he supposedly said, “My hope is that the court will say that it is legal under the Constitution.” The breakfast had a catch, as Gay City News writes. Alan Van Capelle, the Empire State Pride Agenda’s executive director was not invited, which might be because the group backed Fernando Ferrer. But, that Bloomberg called on LGBT groups to plan for the future is a big deal and should be reported. Even if it’s pure politics.

As the Associated Press reports on a poll from earlier this month that shows that the percentage of people who oppose gay marriage, while still high, has been declining. Will Lester, the reporter, attributes the decrease to the decline in media coverage of the issue: “Gay marriage got intense media coverage in 2004 after the Massachusetts court case, the decision by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to issue thousands of marriage licenses to gay couples and similar cases. But the intense focus on gay marriage has declined in the last year.” But wouldn’t a more in depth analysis conclude that it’s not the quantity but the quality of media coverage? Couldn’t it be the quality of sensationalist media’s treatment of gay marriage and politics has led to strong reactions? Isn’t it somewhat due to the fact that the Times is writing about reactions to fanatics like Exodus rather than reporting on the meat of the politics and issues being dealt with such as Bloomberg’s breakfast with LGBT leaders this week?