I suppose there are newspapers that never offend, but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to read them.
Whether it’s through the edgy subject matter, the risk-taking approach or the provocative presentation, interesting newspapers find a way to challenge readers. For some of you, though, it’s just plain offensive.
For example, several of you were highly offended — no, make that “grossly offended” — by Monday’s photos of an Iraq war protest in Kent. You directed your strongest scorn at the Kent State University student holding a sign that said, “Somewhere in Texas, a village is missing an idiot.”
Akron’s Tom Brodbeck could see “absolutely no reason” for giving the war protest such prominence. “Out of 500,000 people in the Summit County area, there were only 50-60 people there. I found the photo highly inflammatory and not good for the country.”
One 81-year-old reader, saying he was “grossly offended” by the photo, found the KSU student to be too young to understand what’s going on in Iraq. Another reader, calling the photo “very tacky,” said the president deserves more respect.
“I have always regarded the liberal ABJ as a mere extension of the NY Times and the Washington Post,” began an e-mail from Barberton’s Stephen Modory. “But the icing on the cake was the full frontal picture featured today on the front of the local/liberal opinion section (a mindless student holding a sign calling President Bush an idiot). No doubt this is your editor’s opinion of our president.”
Actually, I don’t know the editor’s opinion of the president, but I do know that she doesn’t express her opinion through Monday morning photos of war protesters.
Should there have been two days of coverage of protests on the two-year anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, even if they involved only a few dozen people? Yes, it’s news. When people take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations, whether it be people wanting to prolong Terri Schiavo’s life or Kent State students wanting an end to the war, it’s news and needs to be reflected in the newspaper.
My only criticism involves the use of a photo dominated by a sign. I’d rather see the passion or anger expressed in the face of the protester than in the words contained on the sign. There is something far too literal in a sign photo.
Equally passionate and also highly offended was Stark County’s Jim Stuchul, who objected to a headline in last Sunday’s sports section. In fact, he said 500 of his fellow Canton McKinley basketball boosters also saw the headline as “a slap in the face.”
It said: McKinley gets seconds: Key defensive move helps Bulldogs end title drought.
You probably are wondering two things: First, what does the headline mean? And second, why is it offensive?
A school with a long and successful tradition in basketball, the McKinley Bulldogs had just won the state championship, its first title since 1984 and the second one in school history. Get it now? “Seconds” refers to the number of McKinley basketball championships.
“There was nothing second about winning a state championship,” a fuming Stuchul said. “The headline meant nothing. It was very offensive.”
Simmering beneath the surface of his anger was this statement: “It was bad enough your city stole our baseball team,” referring to the move of the Canton-Akron Indians to Canal Park in 1997.
“The headline should have said, Congratulations McKinley,” said Stuchul. “You guys need to apologize. A lot of us are still miffed about the baseball team.”
Can’t do much about the baseball team, but I can agree that “McKinley gets seconds” means nothing unless you already know the outcome of the game and the history of the school. Too much confusion and too little communication in that clever-wannabe headline.
Rarely a day goes by without readers calling to say they were offended by something. Sometimes it reflects an error in the newspaper’s judgment. Sometimes it’s a matter of wanting to shoot the messenger. Other times, it’s the inevitable consequence of the newspaper being lively, interesting and provocative.
No offense intended.
