U.K. website corrects Loney article after Saultites roar

An article about Sault Ste. Marie's James Loney, published overnight by the British news site PinkNews.co.uk, drew angry reaction from Saultites before it was corrected just before 11 a.m..

The article, quoted in a SooToday.com roundup of coverage of Loney's homecoming, claimed that a planned parade for Loney might be cancelled "because he is gay."

In reality, no parade was ever planned.

By 10:55 a.m., the offending headline and a photo caption had been altered to indicate that Loney would be be "welcomed home" in the Sault.

PinkNews claims to be Britain's most-read gay news service.

Here's some of the reaction it received before the piece was corrected:

************************ This article is incorrect. I am a resident of Sault Ste. Marie, with an active interest in my community. I monitor several local news sources every day. There has been no mention of cancellation of a parade for James.

"Reporting" of fiction is highly irresponsible. Katherine Knowles, it seems to me that your article is baseless fear-mongering. I strongly recommend that this article be retracted. - Anne

************************ I resent your article - you're calling our community homophobic in your headlines then you never produce evidence that any "parade" was cancelled. As a gay American, I feel much more welcomed in Sault, Canada than I did living in my native state of Michigan which discriminates against gay people in its constitution. I will think twice about clicking on pinknews.com again and will take what you print with a grain of salt. - Ripley

************************ Katherine Knowles, you should be ashamed of yourself! How can you consider yourself a writer when the information you have based your story on is totally inaccurate? Here in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, we are thankful for James' safe return to us. Yes the red ribbons are going up, the welcome home signs are posted ... as for the parade ... you must know someone pretty high up. A poll taken on one of our local web sites states that the city should not have any "special event" for him and respect the fact he asked for time to get caught up with his loved ones (including his partner). The citizens of this fine city are respecting James' wishes to let him enjoy time with his partner, family, and friends.

It is the media, such as yourself, that is not respecting what he is asking for. And for the false accusations ... shame on you. Get your facts straight before you write. Gay or straight, the City of Sault Ste. Marie loves and respects James for who he is! - Darrell

*********************** As the above poster noted, the parade that you are referring to as "cancelled" was never planned. From the beginning, since his release, James and his family have requested time and that is what the residents of his hometown will give him. You are attempting to fan the flames of a fire that doesn't exist! - gizmo

*********************** I don't know where you got your information, but your article regarding James Loney and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada is completely false. There was no ribbon campaign or parade for James because his family asked we respect James' wishes that he be allowed time to reaquaint himself with his family and partner. What you have written is a blatant lie and I for one demand an apology, not only to the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie, but to James and his family for using them to sell newspapers. Anyone can make up a story - a real reporter investigates reliable sources before writing.

We are all born sexual beings; born with the basic needs of food, warmth and touch. Genetics, trauma, (nature and nurture) and society decide what and whom we will become -homosexuality is not something you decide to become one fine spring morning - it is one small part of who you are.

It is what you do in life that matters, not what you are "labelled" as being. Having said that, I am happily heterosexual and couldn't change if homosexuality were the "norm." - 3rd times a charm

*********************** WRONG. Our city is very relieved that James is alive, his sexual orientation is not our concern. - K.O.

*********************** I was directed to your article through a website from Sault Ste. Marie called SooToday.com, which I strongly recommend you read in order to better inform yourself of how the residents of Sault Ste. Marie feel about James Loney. Being a former resident of Sault Ste. Marie, I was shocked to read your article which insinuated that any celebrations of James Loney's safe return would be cancelled due to news of his sexual orientation. I was proud to read the comments above, and I sincerely hope that you realize the errors within your article. Let it be known that residents of Sault Ste. Marie are proud of James Loney and I am (as always) proud to be from Sault Ste. Marie. - C.G.

*********************** Katherine, this a terribly disgusting and untrue article. As everyone above has stated, there was no parade planned for James. Here in the Sault we understand that he has been through a horrible, traumatic experience and will need time with his family and time to collect his thoughts and emotions before turning into a 'public display'. Sexual preference has no part of it. - In The Soo

*********************** I am a gay male from Sault Ste. Marie but now live in Toronto. And as a gay male from Sault Ste. Marie. I too find your article very insulting and not totally accurate. Sault Ste. Marie is not very supportive of the gay community and there are some rednecks who live there but never would the residents be so rude and hateful to cancel a parade and have ribbons taken down/or put up when because of his sexuality. I would hope you apologize not only to the people of Sault Ste. Marie but also to the gay community! - Jason Merling

*********************** Your article is fraught with errors and misinformation. The city of Sault Ste. Marie is overjoyed at the release and safe return of James one our own. There has never been a plan for a parade as the family requested a quiet return. Had there been a parade planned I can assure you that it would not have been cancelled due to James sexual orientation, the people of the Soo are way above that.

I for one am disgusted with your attempt to portray us as homophobic. You have obviously never been to our wonderful city. - Tammy

*********************** What a shameful article you have written about James Loney and our community here in Sault Ste. Marie Canada. I can tell you without doubt, that everyone here in Sault Ste. Marie is grateful that our prayers have been answered and James is coming home. His sexual orientation has no impact on this sentiment.

As a community we understand that he needs some time to reacquaint himself with his loved ones after his terrible ordeal and we plan to give him his space. However, our city we will welcome him home and give him the tribute that he deserves. Your attention-grabbing headline has no truth to it and should be removed immediately.Welcome Home James and God Bless. - Kevin Lamour, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada

*********************** Further, if you can't spell the name of our city, you have no right tarnishing our reputation. - Kevin Lamour

********************** PinkNews apology