Eskow on WaPo flap: Missing the real issues

[spooky3]

snip

"Here's my short take:

When reporters get a story like the Abramoff scandal wrong, it hurts the country. When an ombudsman betrays her trust, it hurts the craft of journalism. When commenters say nasty things on a website, it may hurt the feelings or sensibilities of a few individuals - all of whom work for the Post.

I'm not defending rudeness, and some comments are vile. But ... For God's sake, people, what's really important here?"

snip

"So - a guy gets mugged on the street. When he complains to a passing cop, the cop beats him with a nightstick and leaves him lying on the ground. He goes to court and says "that sonofabitch cop hit me." At which point he's thrown in jail for being "uncivil" while both the mugger and the cop walk away free.

Justice, Washington Post style."

His whole column is worth the read:

ttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/the-wapo-controversy-wh_b_14218.html

[williesgirl]

1. The Post Newrooms (online & Print) are anything but vanilla in language et

so this is especially insulting to those of us who know. To pretend to be upset over language and insults is a joke. Even Katherine Graham had a tendency to sound like a Marine when pissed. They have sooooo changed from the mightly newspaper of the past.

[spooky3]

2. Howell uses the language she finds offensive, according to a post at Salon

This supports exactly what you are saying:

(snip)

(From Transcript of Videotaped interview, 01/11/94):

HOWELL: "I'm pretty straightforward, always have been, if somebody's acting out. If somebody tackles me in public, I'll tackle them in public. Otherwise I'm pretty careful about doing it behind closed doors. I probably get by with stuff that a white male boss couldn't get by with."

Moorhus : "What kinds of things?"

HOWELL: "Oh, putting my arm around somebody, calling someone an "as*hole." It may have been in jest, but if I was a male, I wouldn't be calling a female employee an "as*hole." And I may call one of the guys and say, "Aw, don't be an as*hole."

snip

HOWELL: "What I wanted to say, in Texas lingo, would be "AMF." You know what "AMF" is?"

Moorhus: "No."

HOWELL: "Adios, mother f*cker."

more of the same at:

http://letters.salon.com/news/feature/2006/01/21/ombudsman/view/index1.html?show=all&order=asc