THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 14, 1996 TAG: 9607130016
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: REPORT TO READERS
SOURCE: Lynn Feigenbaum
LENGTH: 89 lines
The Fourth of July inspired these reader firecrackers:
eclaration f ndependence. Folks who call the public editor's office feel that one of their inalienable rights is to be able to read the newspaper without squinting, refolding the pages or playing fill-in-the-blanks. And we've been getting a number of complaints lately about all of the above.
At least one reader took umbrage because gaps and blotches marred The Pilot's reprint of the Declaration of Independence on the editorial page.
I was so absorbed in rereading this awesome document that I didn't even notice the poor printing quality. But, I declare, our caller had a point.
A belated thanks to the DAR. Martha Huddleston of Virginia Beach was pleased that on both July 4 and 5, The Pilot had stories about a swearing-in ceremony for new citizens. But she was sorry that neither mentioned the contribution of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Huddleston, a longtime member, said local DAR chapters coordinated the programs, assembled the participants and gave out the little American flags that were pictured on the front page that Friday.
The DAR has been doing this for years, said Huddleston, yet ``never have we seen in any paper a mention of the fact.'' Another DAR member, Mary Jane Davis of Norfolk, seconded the complaint.
Actually, a July 4 Daily Break quiz, ``Could you be a citizen?'' came from the DAR's Manual for Citizenship - and said so, in tiny type with the artwork.
That manual, paid for by the national DAR, is donated to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for all potential new citizens, Davis said.
The DAR deserves a salute.
Cultural stereotyping. July Fourth seemed like a good day to run the uplifting account of a pastor who escaped communist oppression in his native Romania and is building up a congregation in Portsmouth.
However, one aspect of the MetroNews story was disturbing to Christina Alexander, who was born in Bucharest 26 years ago and frequently returns to Romania for family visits.
Alexander felt the story fed into the old negative stereotypes of that country without explaining anything about its rich cultural and Christian heritage.
``People like to be proud of their country,'' she said. ``Romania is not just a country of gypsies and gymnasts. . . . We're struggling to get back our traditions that were destroyed by the Nazis and the Russian occupation and other totalitarian regimes.''
A timely reminder that there are two sides to every story.
A REALLY bad joke. A comic strip has to be pretty outrageous to bother me, but one hit rock bottom last week. And on July Fourth, too.
The strip was ``Curtis,'' by Ray Billingsley. Here's part of the dialogue:
Dad: ``Curtis, turn that rap junk down! The police said if I don't stop you from disturbing our neighbors, they're going to haul me to jail!!''
Curtis: ``Well, Dad, just be careful NOT to drop the soap in the shower!''
Jack Main was one of three readers who expressed shock it was in the newspaper.
``Any Navy man has heard many variations of this old joke,'' he said, ``but to put this subject in a daily comic strip that is read by children is unforgivable.''
I don't know what the cartoonist or his editors at King Features Syndicate were thinking when they let that one through. Pilot editors do not screen comics ahead of time. Looks like they'll have to. . . .
Review gets an X rating. And while we're on the subject of alleged improprieties, Candy Hudgins of Chesapeake felt that a movie review on July 5 didn't get the message across.
She was referring to a capsule review of ``The Nutty Professor,'' which said it ``should delight 10-year-olds in spite of its rating.'' The PG-13 rating was attributed to ``language.''
Hudgins took her son to the movie and was NOT delighted. ``With all of the cuss words and sexual insinuations,'' she said, ``it is in no way appropriate for a 10-year-old.''
The minireview did carry a warning - but, obviously, not a strong enough one for discriminating parents.
Incomplete schedule. And the last firecracker: A Virginia Beach man had a gripe about The Pilot's coverage of July Fourth holiday events.
Too little and too late, he said, referring to the listings in that day's MetroNews section.
``Additionally,'' he e-mailed, ``you only publish the events south of the Bay.'' Is the Peninsula ``foreign territory''?
Time out! In fact, there was a listing of Fourth of July festivities in the previous week's entertainment section, as well as in community sections.
And on the Fourth, The Daily Break had its own list of events - from Williamsburg and Cape Charles down to Nags Head and Ocracoke. Only problem: None of the news sections told readers they could find the more complete list in the Break.
Out of sight, out of mind. MEMO: Call the public editor at 446-2475, or send a computer message to
lynn(AT)infi.net by CNB