Inside PBS Blog

Gays, gas and gender politics were the topics discussed on PBS Web sites this week.

The California Supreme Court's decision to overturn the state's same-sex marriage ban got lots of play at "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer' site, which invited two high schoolers to weigh in on the gay-marriage debate.

"In a country where more than 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce, we as voters and citizens should be encouraging the creation of relationships and stable homes," says Adam Piel, a Massachusetts junior.

Not so fast, argues classmate Brian Muse.

"Marriage is the act of two people conjoining as one to create life and a family. Broadening the definition opens doors that should not be opened. … It holds religious connotations that coincide with many other customs and ethics," Brian writes.

Religion and politics were also on the minds of visitors to the "Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly" site.

Fresh off its profile of openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson, the newsmagazine presented a Web extra in which Mr. Bishop discussed his decision to endorse political candidates.

Not everyone agrees with his thinking.

Says the Rev. Terry L. Sager: "[I]t is very important that a pastor, and even so much more importantly for a bishop to keep persononal views kept personal. No matter how the thoughts are delivered, many if not all hearing can be influenced, because the bishop said or the pastor said!"

Jeanette Daane disagrees.

"I admire Bishop Robinson and his need to express himself as a citizen separate from his role in the church," she says. "And he doesn't ask us to believe this comes from God or that he stands for God's will. It is his best interpretation of what he would want for our country as a man of Christian values."

Over at the "Nightly Business Report" blog, gas prices remain the topic du jour.

After the show presented this week's "Pain at the Pump" series, BOB2 responded with a critique: "Citing Bob Poole of the Reason Foundation, without noting his connection to this extreme jright wing oil compnay funded 'think tank' is poor reporting. Report the bias's of your sources."

Finally, gender politics in the Democratic presidential campaign was on the mind of "NewsHour" viewer Ursula Borrelli.

Says Ursula: "Why has the media never asked Obama to be more specific: 'Change' from what to what?? and isn't a woman president also 'change we can believe in'?? Why have those who have been making sexist comments/reports about Hillary Clinton not been called 'sexist'? If similar remarks were made about Obama, they would be called 'racist', and rightly so."

What do you think? Were you pleased to see "The NewsHour" provide a forum for high schoolers to voice their views on gay marriage? Did you see the "NBR" report on gas prices? What was your response?

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