Other side of the fence

Focus on the Family is no stranger to controversy. They've lobbied hard against same-sex marriage across the country and happen to be a prime mover in Colorado's proposed amendment to define marriage as between a man and woman.

All of which makes Focus' latest gay-related controversy so curious.

See, Focus is supporting SB166, a bill which (among other things) would help make it easier for gay partners to share benefits like power of attorney or make medical or end-of-life decisions. Some conservative activists accuse Focus of 'selling out,' including Colorado Springs-based Dr. Paul Cameron, who heads the wildly controversial Family Research Institute. He's issued several releases slamming Focus and its founder, James Dobson, for supporting the bill -- but he's not the only one.

Focus is sticking to its guns: The bill, officials say, doesn't mention homosexuality at all. And just because Focus doesn't object to homosexual partners caring for one another in a hospital doesn't mean that it's softened its stance on gay marriage. But the criticism from within Focus' core constituency must've stung.

"You would think that people who would purport to be on our side would at least call us," said Tom Minnery, Focus' vice president of public policy in a recent CitizenLink press release. "We often get calls from hostile secular reporters; we often don't like what they write about us, but at least they call. (Our) friends, however, did not. They jumped to conclusions and went wild with it. This thing has crossed the Internet, and a lot of Focus on the Family listeners have read these things and are calling here."