GLAAD protest 'Rolling Stone's irresponsible 'Bug Chasing' article

[Guest guest]

GLAAD Alert

January 24, 2003

PROTEST 'ROLLING STONE'S' IRRESPONSIBLE 'BUG CHASING' ARTICLE

Since its publication earlier this week, " Rolling Stone's " February 6

article by Freeman entitled " In Search of Death " has drawn

fire for its inaccurate, sensationalistic portrayal of a phenomenon

known as " bug chasing. " " Newsweek, " Salon.com and others have

critically examined the article -- which examines the lives of two

men who have actively sought HIV infection and speculates on the

scope of the problem -- after the primary medical sources quoted by

Freeman disputed the quotes he attributed to them.

Among the inaccuracies:

* Dr. Bob Cabaj, director of behavioral-health services for San

Francisco County, has asserted in Newsweek and to GLAAD directly that

the statements attributed to him on infection rates (that at least 25

percent of all newly infected gay men are seeking the virus)

are " totally false. I never said that. And when the fact checker

called me and asked me if I said that, I said no. I said no. This is

unbelievable. "

* Dr. Marshall Forstein, the medical director of mental health and

addiction services at Fenway Community Health in Boston, was quoted

in the Rolling Stone story as saying that " 'bug chasers' are seen

regularly in the Fenway health system, and the phenomenon is

growing. " In Newsweek's article, Forstein says that quote " is

entirely a fabrication " and that " I said, 'We have seen a few cases,

but we have no idea how common this is.' "

* Sullivan's Salon.com article refutes the reported size of

this " epidemic " by stating: " Anyone with the faintest knowledge of

the HIV epidemic knows that men who have sex with men make up a

declining number of this group -- now 42 percent, according to the

CDC. So even if you buy the bizarre 25 percent figure, you don't end

up with 10,000, you end up with 4,200. I mention this obvious point,

not because 4,200 is somehow more credible than 10,000. No one, I

repeat, no one, has any solid evidence for either figure. "

* Shana Naomi Krochmal of the STOP AIDS Project in San Francisco says

her entire conversation with Freeman was off the record and

that her quotes were never intended for inclusion in the article. She

posted commentary regarding her interactions with Freeman to the

letters section of the poynter.org website. The full text can be

viewed here: http://www.poynter.org/forum/?id=medianews

Ed Needham, " Rolling Stone's " editor, contends that the story is

accurate and that the sources confirmed their quotes with a fact

checker. No matter what one's feelings are about the issue explored

in this article, Freeman's's piece is bad journalism. And as a

result, radical anti-gay groups like the Traditional Values Coalition

have already stepped up to the plate and used this story as

ammunition for their attacks on our lives. Fox News

Channel's " Hannity & Colmes " picked up the story as well, furthering

the sensationalism of an issue that is hardly an " epidemic. "

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Call on " Rolling Stone " to publicly correct the errors of fact and

attribution in Freeman's article. " Rolling Stone's " decision

to print and stand behind disproved and grossly sensationalistic

reporting sends a dangerous, inaccurate message that is already being

exploited by the

anti-gay right. Tell " Rolling Stone " editor Ed Needham that you

expect him to print a detailed correction of Freeman's inaccuracies

and take responsibility for what amounts to shoddy journalism with no

factual evidence to support it.

WRITE TO:

Ed Needham

Managing Editor - Editorial

Rolling Stone Magazine

(212) 484-1616

ed.needham@r...

To write Rolling Stone using GLAAD.org's new online Take Action

center, visit: http://www.glaad.org/action/alerts_detail.php?id=3175

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Rolling Stone - Feb 6, 2003

" In Search of Death " by Freeman

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=17380

Newsweek.com - Jan. 23. 2003

" Is Rolling Stone's HIV Story Widely Exaggerated? " by Seth Mnookin

http://www.msnbc.com/news/863259.asp?0cv=KB10 & cp1=1

Salon.com - Jan. 24, 2003

" Sex- and death-crazed gays play viral Russian Roulette! " by

Sullivan

http://salon.com/opinion/sullivan/2003/01/24/rolling/print.html

Traditional Values Coalition - Jan. 23, 2003

Estimated 25% Of Homosexual Males Seek To Be Infected With HIV

http://www.traditionalvalues.org/article.php?sid=707

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