View source for Creation Museum Date Night controversy

Political activist Joe Sonka, and his friend Brandon, conspired with Jonathan Meador, a staff writer for [http://leoweekly.com/ Leo Weekly], to attend the Creation Museum [http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/creation-museum/2011/01/13/date-night/ Date Night] pretending to be a gay couple.

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Notes

* Article titles in ''italic'' indicate the story appeared in the print edition. 

* Syndicated stories ([http://www.ap.org/ Associated Press-AP], [http://www.upi.com/ United Press International-UPI], [http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/taglibrary/know-how/text AFP], [http://www.reuters.com/ Reuters], etc.) are noted when available.  Not all instances of story syndication are listed. 

==2011==

* Feb 27. '''Associated Content'''. USA. Yahoo! news website. [http://voices.yahoo.com/creation-museum-debacle-misconstrued-7951218.html Creation Museum Debacle Misconstrued - What was Thought to Be an Act of Discrimination Could Have Been a Political Ploy] by J. Walker Harriman.<br />"Long after the story filled the pages of many U.S. papers, the incident between the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky and two heterosexual males claiming to be a same-sex couple finally became clear. What was essentially thought to be an act of discrimination was, in fact, an effort on part of the Creation Museum to foil a plan cooked up by the duo several weeks prior to the event."

* Feb 23. '''TPMMuckraker'''. New York City, New York. USA. [http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/same-sex_couple_denied_entry_to_creation_museum_da.php Same-Sex 'Couple' Denied Entry To Creation Museum Date Night Event] by David Taintor.<br />"The Creation Museum in Petersberg, Ky. denied a "same-sex couple" entry to a date-night event on Feb. 11. But the "couple" wasn't actually gay."

* Feb 22. '''Huffington Post''' blog. New York City, New York. USA. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/22/2-men-denied-admission-to_n_826524.html 2 Men Denied Admission To Event At Creation Museum].

* Feb 22. '''KSDK, Channel 5, NBC'''. St Louis, Missouri. USA. [http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/245280/28/Straight-Louisville-man-denied-entry-at-Creation-Museum-staffer-thought-he-was-gay Straight Louisville man denied entry at Creation Museum; staffer thought he was gay] by Kristen Gosling.<br />"Chris Hartman, Director of the Fairness Campaign, said the Creation Museum did nothing illegal."

* Feb 22. '''The News Record'''. Cincinnati, Ohio. USA. The independent student newspaper of at the University of Cinncinnati. [http://www.newsrecord.org/denying-same-sex-couple-entry-to-creation-museum-unjustified/article_0b00ab36-ad9a-5324-aff5-c1662508773f.html Denying same-sex couple entry to Creation Museum unjustified] by Stephanie Kitchens.<br />"Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum representatives assert that they were set up and that this was a premeditated attack on the museum, citing a blog called "Barefoot and Progressive," which is Sonka's blog."

* Feb 22. '''USA Today'''. McLean Virginia. USA. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-02-22-creation-gay-marriage-21__N.htm Gay couple shut out of Creation Museum date night] by Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer. 

* Feb 22. '''OneNewsNow.com'''. Tupelo, Mississippi. USA. [http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1298636 'Flamboyantly gay' couple turned away] by Becky Yeh.

* Feb 22. '''USA Today'''. McLean Virginia. USA. ''Creation Museum bars male couple from event'' by Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer. Page B2.

* Feb 22. '''OpposingViews.com'''.  USA. [http://www.opposingviews.com/i/gay-couple-barred-from-creation-museum-event "Gay" Couple Barred from Creation Museum Event] by Mark Berman.

* Feb 21. '''New Mexico Daily Lobo'''. Albuquerque, New Mexico. USA. ''Creation museum snubs gays'' via Associated Press. Page 6.

* Feb 21. '''Austin American-Statesman'''. Austin, Texas. USA. ''2 men say museum entry denied'' via Associated Press. Page A3.

* Feb 21. '''Washington Post'''. Washington, D.C. USA. ''Creation Museum denies Date Night entry to 2 men'' via Associated Press. Page A3.

* Feb 21. '''Cincinnati Enquirer'''. Cincinnati, Ohio. USA. ''Same-sex couple stopped at Creation Museum event'' by Mark Hansel. Page C8.

* Feb 21. '''Cincinnati.com'''. Cincinnati, Ohio. USA. [http://cincinnati.com/blogs/opinionati/2011/02/21/creation-museum-denies-admission-to-two-men-what-do-you-think/ Creation Museum denies admission to two men: What do you think?] by kwellesley.

* Feb 21. '''The Advocate'''. Los Angeles, Californai. USA.  [http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/02/21/No_Gays_at_Creation_Museum_Date_Night/ Creation Museum Bars "Gay" Couple] by Advocate.com Editors.

* Feb 21. '''Barefoot and Progressive''' blog. Lexington, Kentucky. USA. [http://barefootandprogressive.blogspot.com/search/label/Ken%20Ham Intellectual child abusers at AiG admit to AP that they discriminate against gays, yet call me "intolerant"] by Joe Sonka.<br />"Ken Ham and the good folks at Answers in Genesis are in full out damage control mode. Getting caught red-handed discriminating against what they perceived to be a gay couple, they now realize that their chance to get a $40 million welfare hand out from the government to build a giant Dineysore Boat is now seriously in jeopardy."

* Feb 21. '''WXIX-TV, Channel 19, Fox'''. Cincinnati, Ohio. USA. [http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=14072390 Creation Museum denies alleged gay couple entrance to dinner] by Stefano DiPietrantonio.<br />"They were here to disrupt, they may say something else, but all you have to read is that January 13th blog," said Mark Looy, who is a spokesperson for The Creation Museum."<br />"Since then, both of them admitted they are straight," Looy said. "It was a stunt, this is a manufactured story, to draw attention to themselves."

* Feb 21. '''WSCH-FM, 99.3'''. Lawrenceburg, Indiana. USA. [http://www.eaglecountryonline.com/news.php?nID=1368 Same Sex Couple Turned Away At Creation Museum].<br />"Answers in Genesis said the museum has been tolerant and welcoming of gay couples since opening in 2007."<br />"In the past, our staff has observed what they believed to be “gay” couples walking through the museum, and these guests were not approached (except in the rare instance where they were deemed to be acting in a disruptive manner). The Creation Museum has always welcomed individuals and groups who do not necessarily share our views."

* Feb 20. '''Kentucky Enquirer'''. Cincinnati, Ohio. USA. ''Creation Museum event rejects same-sex pair'' by Mark Hansel. Page B4.

* Feb 20. '''Los Angeles Times'''. Los Angeles, California. USA. [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-bc-us--creationmuseum-datenight,0,1584771.story Blogger, another man denied entry to 'Date Night' at Kentucky's Creation Museum] via Associated Press.<br />"Meador said museum officials didn't break any laws, but feels they should have at least refunded the cost of admission."

* Feb 20. '''WAVE-TV, Channel 3, NBC'''.  Louisville, Kentucky. USA. [http://www.wave3.com/story/14067458/straight-louisville-man-denied-entry-at-creation-museum-staffer-thought-he-was-gay Straight Louisville man denied entry at Creation Museum; staffer thought he was gay] by David Williams. <br />"These people were simply turned away because they had alerted us in January that they intended to act in a flamboyant manner and when we figured out who these people were, we did not allow them to come to a dinner event and disrupt 96 other guests from enjoying their meal," Looy said."

* Feb 20. '''Lexington Herald-Leader'''. Lexington, Kentucky. USA. [http://www.kentucky.com/2011/02/20/1642914/2-men-denied-admission-to-event.html 2 men denied admission to event at Creation Museum] via Associated Press.

* Feb 20. '''WLKY-TV, Channel 32, CBS'''. Louisville, Kentucky. USA.  [http://www.wlky.com/r/26933723/detail.html 2 Men Denied Admission To Event At Creation Museum].<br />"A progressive blogger and another man who tried to go to a special event at Kentucky's Creation Museum said they were denied admission because they told security that they were a same-sex couple."

* Feb 20. '''Chillicothe Gazette'''. Chillicothe, Ohio. USA. [http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/AB/20110219/NEWS0103/102200330/0/NEWS/Creation-Museum-rejects-same-sex-couple Creation Museum rejects same-sex couple from Date Night event] by Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer. 

* Feb 20. '''Newark Avocate'''. Newark, Ohio. USA. [http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/AB/20110219/NEWS0103/102200330/0/NEWS/Creation-Museum-rejects-same-sex-couple Creation Museum rejects same-sex couple from Date Night event] by Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer. 

* Feb 20. '''Louisville Courier-Journal'''. Louisville, Kentucky. USA. [http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110220/NEWS02/302200056/Louisville-same-sex-couple-denied-entrance-Creation-Museum-event Louisville same-sex couple denied entrance to Creation Museum event] by Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer. <br />"Meador admitted the other member of the group, Joe Sonka, had posted a blog entry in January suggesting that it was the patriotic duty of his readers to send a flamboyantly gay couple to the event."

* Feb 20. '''Lebanon Daily News'''. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. USA. [http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_17438095 2 men denied admission to event at Creation Museum] via Associated Press.<br />"A progressive blogger and another man who tried to go to a special event at Kentucky's Creation Museum said they were denied admission because they told security that they were a same-sex couple."<br />"Sonka wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that neither he nor the other man denied entry is gay."

* Feb 20. '''Bennington Banner'''. Bennington, Vermont. USA. [http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_17439108 2 men denied admission to event at Creation Museum] via Associated Press.<br />"Looy defended the decision not to allow the two men in and cited a blog post that Sonka wrote in January, encouraging readers to raise money to send a "flamboyantly gay" couple to the event."

* Feb 20. '''Museums & Heritage magazine'''. Manchester, England. [http://www.mandh-online.com/news/content/1475/same-sex_couple_denied_museum_entry Same-sex couple denied museum entry]. <br />"Mark Looy, chief communications officer for the museum, claims that the marketing material explicitly said the event was for heterosexual couples only and involved a talk from museum founder Ken Ham, who is also the founder of Answers in Genesis-US and one of America’s most famous Christian speakers."

* Feb 20. '''Pasadena Star-News'''. Pasadena, California. USA. [http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_17438095 2 men denied admission to event at Creation Museum] via Associated Press.

* Feb 16. '''Leo Weekly'''. Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) an alternative newspaper. Louisville, Kentucky. USA. [http://leoweekly.com/news/date-night-garden-eden Date Night in the Garden of Eden] by Jonathan Meador.<br />"We knew that someone was coming to be flamboyant to essentially be disruptive,” Mark Looy, chief communications officer for the Creation Museum and its parent company, Answers in Genesis (AiG), tells LEO Weekly. “They were trying to stir things up, be disruptive,” he adds, claiming that Sonka wrote on his blog that he planned to crash the event."

* Feb 15. '''Answers in Genesis'''. Petersburg, Kentucky. USA. [http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2011/02/15/crashing-date-night Attempted Crashing of “Date Night” at the Creation Museum]. <br />"Mr. Sonka was aware that Answers in Genesis/Creation Museum accepts the Bible’s teaching in Genesis regarding God’s plan for the institution of marriage, as one man, one woman—for life. (According to his blog, he has visited the museum at least twice before.) Like many other Bible-upholding ministries, we do not hide the fact that we oppose redefinition of marriage or the altering of the biblical stance on relationships between men and women. Knowing the ministry/museum position on these issues, Mr. Sonka deliberately wanted to manufacture a scene at our special event by being “flamboyantly” disruptive. His obvious purpose was to gain attention and generate news coverage, not to enjoy the evening’s pro-marriage message based in Genesis. In the process of stirring up trouble, he hoped to create a news spectacle and provide fodder for his blog. Curiously, though Mr. Sonka was the instigator of the party-crashing scheme, he was reluctant to pay for the two tickets himself, extending his stunt by creating a public auction to pay for the tickets and cover his expenses to get to the museum."

* Feb 12. '''Barefoot and Progressive''' blog. Lexington, Kentucky. USA. [http://barefootandprogressive.blogspot.com/2011/02/no-same-sex-couples-allowed-at-creation.html No same sex couples allowed at the Creation Museum Date Night (UPDATE)] by Joe Sonka.<br />"I rushed back from DC to my old Kentucky home last night to attend the spectacular "Date Night at the Creation Museum", where my date and I were to take in a nice dinner and listen to Ken Ham explain what makes a good relationship work."

* Feb 12. '''Pharyngula''' blog. Morris, Minnesota. USA. [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/02/we_missed_date_night_at_the_cr.php We missed Date Night at the Creation "Museum"!] by PZ Myers.<br />"If only I could learn about romance from a sleazy fundamentalist atavism with a neck beard."

* Feb 12. '''Panda's Thumb''' blog. USA. [http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2011/02/answers-in-gene-1.html Answers in Genesis Steals Money from Couple] by Reed A. Cartwright.<br />"Answers in Genesis hosted a “date night” last night at their Kentucky Kreationism Komplex, where couples could attend a talk by Ken Ham, dine in the main hall, and attend a concert. Talk about romance! And since AiG has pledged to not discriminate in order to obtain government subsidies, we all expect them to welcome gay couples to their event, right?"

* Feb 12. '''Leo Weekly'''. Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) an alternative newspaper. Louisville, Kentucky. USA. [http://fatlip.leoweekly.com/2011/02/12/same-sex-couples-denied-entry-to-creation-museums-date-night/ Same sex couples denied entry to Creation Museum’s “Date Night”] by Jonathan Meador.<br />"Some attempts at backtracking were made: I said there had been a misunderstanding; that I didn’t say” partner” and meant that Joe and Brandon’s girlfriends had cancelled and that, ha ha, neither Joe nor Brandon was gay, but no dice: Just the suspicion of being gay was grounds enough to refuse paying customers access to Ham’s magical speech on biblical incest and how you should love your wife for who she is because, in time, she’ll be as ugly as her mother."

* Jan 13. '''Barefoot and Progressive''' blog. Lexington, Kentucky. USA. [http://barefootandprogressive.blogspot.com/2011/01/date-night-at-creation-museum.html Date Night at the Creation Museum] by Joe Sonka. <br />"And finally, let's get to work doing a fundraiser so we can send the most flamboyantly gay couple imaginable to this dinner. I consider that our patriotic duty." 

* Jan 13. '''Creation Museum'''. Petersburg, Kentucky. USA. [http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/creation-museum/2011/01/13/date-night/ Date Night].<br />"This special evening begins at 6:00 PM with an inspiring message about love and the biblical view of marriage from Creation Museum founder, Ken Ham. After Ken’s talk, couples will dine in the museum’s Main Hall, which will be transformed into a one-of-a-kind banquet hall. This delicious buffet-style meal from one of the Cincinnati area’s premier caterers will include Mela Verde Salad, several entree items, and an assortment of gourmet desserts."

== See Also ==
{{Div col}}
* [[Ark_Encounter_news|Ark Encounter News]]<br />National and international news and views about the Answers in Genesis  Ark Encounter project.
* [[Canadian creationist finds fish fossils]]
* [[Creation_Museum_news|Creation Museum news]]<br />National and international news and views about the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum.
* [[Creation_Museum_Date_Night_controversy|Creation Museum Date Night]]
* [[David_Coppedge_vs_Jet_Propulsion_Laboratory|David Coppedge vs Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]
* [[Grand_Canyon_book_controversy|''Grand Canyon: A Different View'' book controversy]]
* [[Great_Homeschool_Conventions_vs_Answers_in_Genesis|Great Homeschool Conventions vs Answers in Genesis]]
* [[Freshwater_vs_Mount_Vernon_Middle_School|John Freshwater vs Mount Vernon Middle School]] 
* [[Gaskell_vs_University_of_Kentucky|Martin Gaskell vs University of Kentucky-Lexington]]
* [[Noah's_Ark_news|Noah's Ark]]
* [[Nye_versus_Ham_Debate| Bill Nye vs Ken Ham Debate]]
{{Div col end}}

[[Category:News]]