Aly Oops: “Muslim World, Christian World AND the Baptist World”

Camerota confused: Blame it on Westboro? This morning, New Day co-host Alisyn Camerota interviewed Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, asking her how her meeting with the President went yesterday.* Sheehan replied that she had not because “‘they’ were concerned that all the local elected officials would want to meet with the President.” Then the seemingly wounded Sheehan laughed, “I’m like, wait a minute! I’m the, I’m the gay one! I actually didn’t get to yesterday.” Sympathetically, Aly answered, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Later, in the interview, Sheehan expressed her optimism as an LGBT activist of thirty years, saying, “I really feel a shift…I’ve dealt with a lot of people whose hearts and minds were really set in a way that was not in favor of my community. But, what I’ve seen is really a shift in the faith community.” She continued, “They have been very upset about some of the protests that have been talked about happening here: They say, ‘This is not reflective of our religion.'” Subsequently, she said that the Christian ministers had reached out to the imams and the Muslim community and that it was the first time that she had seen that: Clarifying herself, she said that they had had such interfaith groups (in the past) but that they had been “kind of…the lefty churches…the Unitarians…but now I’m talking about the Baptist Church folks locally talking to our Muslim community which I think is great!” Subsequently, Sheehan added, “And, they’re saying that this is about love and we need to embrace our LGBT community and I’ve never ever heard that before. So, I really do feel there’s a change and a shift because of this tragedy.”

Raising her eyebrows, Aly remarked, “That is a really nice silver lining, Commissioner, because we had heard rumors that there might be these sick protests from that odious fringe group who protests.” Interjecting, Sheehan stammered, “I’m not going to, I’m not going to mention their name because I find them so disgusting.” Concurring, Aly replied, “I’m not either.” Elaborating, Sheehan asserted that they [apparently, Westboro Baptist Church] had promised that they would not do a protest.

In response, Aly concluded, “We have seen lots of extremists…who bastardize a religion and claim it for their own in order to do vile things. And, we pray that that does not happen during the funerals down there. But, it is very heartening and inspiring to hear that the Muslim world and the Christian world and the Baptist world are all coming together.”

Aly, hopefully, love will conquer all as the Orlando victims are laid to rest, and, hopefully the WBC will not disrupt the funerals for the family and friends as they grieve their now deceased loved ones. But, as to the “Christian world and the Baptist world,” the world renowned evangelist Baptist Billy Graham would be rather surprised that you did not include his denomination in the “Christian world.” Blame it on Westboro?

*New Day – 06/17/16 (@ 8:19 a.m. ET).

Tags: alisyn camerota, Billy Graham, CNN, New Day, Patty Sheehan