“So Gay” Keeps Going
PALMETTO SCOOP: TOP TOURISM OFFICIAL APPROVED ADS
FITSNews – August 2, 2008 – South Carolina’s latest national black eye doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon, people …
The website Palmetto Scoop has obtained e-mails under the state’s Freedom of Information Act showing that our state’s top tourism official misled the public about his knowledge of a controversial campaign designed to market our state’s beaches to homosexuals.
From yesterday’s edition of The Scoop :
When Chad Prosser, Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism learned his agency was promoting the state as being “So Gay,” he supposedly took immediate action to end the campaign and accepted the resignation of the employee who initially approved the $5,000 expenditure.
“I do not believe that it is appropriate to use state tourism marketing funds to support any specific social agenda, nor would we ever knowingly do so,†Prosser said in a July 11 press release.
But emails obtained by The Palmetto Scoop through the Freedom of Information Act show Prosser instructed his staff “DO NOT ask the vendor to remove South Carolina from the campaign†on July 3 — a full week before The Palmetto Scoop broke the initial story of the “So Gay†campaign.
This marks the second time in a week that information provided by Prosser’s agency has turned out to be substantially less than truthful, the result of which is the continuation of a scandal that could be a “triple-whammy” for the administration of Gov. Mark Sanford.
First of all, one of Sanford’s key Cabinet leaders is clearly not shooting straight with the public – a dangerous development for an administration which has made such a fuss about “sunlight” and “transparency” in government.
Second, and more importantly, the scandal removes a potent weapon from Sanford’s arsenal.
Prior to the “So Gay” scandal, Prosser’s tourism agency was Exhibit A in the ongoing budget wars between the governor and his enemies in the S.C. General Assembly.
By contrasting the $10 million which was cut from tourism’s revenue-enhancing marketing budget with the $10 million lawmakers blew on their revenue-draining pet project slush fund, Sanford was able to effectively paint his legislative antagonists as looking out for their own special interests – not the best interests of the state.
And while that contrast has lost none of its validity, the “So Gay” scandal certainly minimizes Sanford’s ability to make that point himself.
Finally, the scandal will cost our state money – and not just from the $700 million a year gay travel industry.
Once again, South Carolina is presenting itself on the national stage as an ass-backward island of ignorance, being lampooned on late night talk shows for our hatred of gays just like we were lampooned during the Confederate flag debate for our hatred of blacks.
In a state which depends on its ability to attract people, not repel them, that could be the most damaging development of all.
Comments
By Vagabond on August 2nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
Is anyone else curious why we haven’t heard a word from the “low-level” employee who resigned? Doesn’t make sense that this person would just fall on their sword, unless of course they got a nice financial incentive to keep quiet.
By Bought and paid for by SCASA on August 2nd, 2008 at 10:33 am
Come on, sic(k) willie. This story is as dead as your voucher scam.
You can keep blowing into it, but who cares. Blow into something else that pays you money. Your attacks here must be free unless you picked up a gig from: http://www.thetaskforce.org/
Get back to your money maker. Attack public education.
The fact that you know the voucher scam will not help those who need help the most makes you the biggest scam in S.C.
By AdeT on August 2nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Still wondering….when will somebody offer this debacle as Exhibit A in the argument that the government shouldn’t be in the advertising business in the first place? It seems that, almost everyday we find examples of how awful government is at achieving, well, just about anything…yet in the next breath people are clamoring for government to do more.
I ask again…isn’t this what chambers of commerce and trade associations are for?
By Bought and paid for by SCASA on August 2nd, 2008 at 3:48 pm
AdeT is either a Howie Rich clone or a paid stooge for sic(k) willie, but it’s hard to tell the difference. Is there a difference? Not really.
AdeT’s mindless attack on “government” is, well, mindless. Which pretty much sums up most of what we see here.
By AdeT on August 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 pm
BIN…I mean SCASA, or whatever…
Please feel free to provide a list of things that government does well.
By Dan on August 3rd, 2008 at 10:57 am
These headlines keep making me think they’re going to be articles about Lindsey Graham.
By male sapphist on August 4th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Why not name the low level employee? I wonder which campaign he or she is working on now?
This is typical government BS. Lies, Lies, Lies. Maybe a taxpayer advocacy group should sue PRT and the as yet unnamed employee. If you shake the tree hard enough some monkeys will fall out…. and our questions will be answered…somewhat
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