Gay Marriage Cover Flies Under Right-Wing Radar

Here's a pleasant, if mysterious, surprise: Conservative activists don't seem to be rushing to battle stations over the current issue of People.

I was certain there would be some sort of aggressive response from the usual religious/"traditional values" groups, such as Focus on the Family and the American Family Association, to the issue, which features the marriage of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DiRossi on the cover. Just this week, after all, AFA exhorted its members to protest Hallmark's decision to start selling same-sex wedding cards. (Some 3.4 million people supposedly receive AFA's action alerts.) And People isn't exactly an obscure target -- it's the biggest media company in the world's most profitable title.

But so far, nothing. I've contacted spokespersons for Focus, AFA and the Catholic League just to make sure I'm not missing something, but none had any comment. A People spokeswoman says there hasn't been any negative reaction so far from readers or advertisers -- although that could change, since the magazine is only now going on sale in many parts of the country.