Sound Off for Oct. 22, 2006

Batch Data Processor | Sunday, Oct 22 2006 8:42 PM

Last Updated: Saturday, Oct 21 2006 10:24 PM

Reader: When I saw the front page story I was stunned. Where is the story and what value is this article? How could The Californian stoop so low?

We have so many charities in Bakersfield that work hard to help the less fortunate. We have people who give of their time to help the needy. Why aren't these groups and people on the front page. That is news. That is a story. THAT IS BAKERSFIELD.

Academic scholars are trying to take God out of America. Why would we listen or believe them? Anyone can spin the words of the Bible to suit themselves. How do you think cults survive and get followers who are nothing more than weak-minded puppets. Remember Jim Bakker? He went to jail.

There are all kinds of wealth: Money and possessions are items that do not fill the soul. Oftentimes they fill the ego. Love is wealth and from love comes goodness and caring and generosity. Love multiplies.

Jesus was rich in goodness.

-- Irene Edmonds

Jenner: When we read this story about how some Christian ministers are arguing that Jesus was wealthy, editors were shocked and outraged. We thought our readers would be, too.

Looks like we were right.

You raise an interesting question about what kinds of stories belong on the front page.

Nine times out of 10, our front page is dominated by news; generally the top local or national stories of the day.

But on occasion we'll localize a national story that we think is provocative and likely to be a "talker" with our readers.

I don't think most readers have a problem with that approach, although some may not be accustomed to seeing these stories displayed so prominently. Saturday's package really dominated the page.

You can expect that we'll continue to consider for the front page stories on issues that some might find outrageous. But we'll try to be sensitive to the fact that some may find presentations like Saturday's jarring.

Reader: I just finished reading the Community News page in your Thursday paper. I read about Jagels' column to criticize Californian's lies, and Jagels' accusations that The Californian often reports the news with a negative slant toward law enforcement. Although I am not a a fan of Mr. Jagels, I do agree with him on this point. I also agree that the paper shows biases that defy the purpose of "reporting" the news. Also on this page was another article about Donny Youngblood's son being jailed in a DUI case.

First of all, I question why this news was newsworthy. However, I question further if it was a "paid advertisement" for Donny Youngblood.

In the article reporting the DUI incident, Donny Youngblood was quoted as saying that he wasn't called after the arrest. Then the story took a turn and mentioned Sheriff Wimbish's incident in assisting a friend getting an earlier release from jail. Now I ask you, is this responsible reporting -- or is it politics?

-- Deanie Hogan

Reader: The Californian's story about Donny Youngblood's son's DUI was in poor taste.

There are never any articles about other people who receive DUIs, but because of who his father is, Ruston's arrest made the paper.

I think there are many other newsworthy stories going on in the world and The Californian needs to show a little more professionalism. I think you and your writers can learn a thing or two from the classiness shown by both candidates running for sheriff. It is a personal, family matter, not political in an way and had no business being published.

-- B. Elliott

Reader: I read with interest the article in the paper today regarding the DUI arrest of Donny Youngblood's son. The article appeared on Page 5 of the Local section and Youngblood's name was not mentioned in the heading.

If this DUI arrest had occurred to Mack Wimbish's son, just judging from past articles in The Californian, it would have appeared on the front page of the local section and Mack's name would have been printed in black, bold type in the heading.

C'mon, you know it would!

-- Pat Eyraud

Jenner: The arrest of the son of candidate Donny Youngblood generated much discussion by top editors, who argued over its newsworthiness.

Youngblood's son was 25, was not living in his father's home or driving his father's car. He wasn't involved in an accident. He was arrested and taken to jail.

Under any normal circumstances, this would not have merited a story.

The only reason it was deemed relevant and worthy of any mention is because of a much-publicized incident involving Youngblood's opponent, Sheriff Mack Wimbish. In that incident, Wimbish released a campaign worker jailed for a DUI early, in violation of Sheriff's Department policy. That incident became a campaign issue and the topic of questions to both candidates on the matter.

That's why we wrote a short story, and placed in on Page B5.

Reader: I can not say I am surprised that in response to the new blog by the District Attorney's office the local paper reposts all the old personal hack job stories against Jagels in typical petty vindictive fashion of those caught red-handed but not willing to admit wrongdoing.

Oh I know, they only did it to inform the public ... blah blah blah. Too bad saying that does not make it true.

You really showed him, Jenner! Unfortunately you also showed everyone else what a petty, spiteful, vindictive little rag you and your editors run. You just can't take the same critique you heap on others. I pity you.

-- Glen Davis

Jenner: Thanks for thinking of me, Glen.

Reader: So, Mr. Jagels thinks he can critique The Californian's reporting of crimes.

Now isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?

In 2004, I was the victim of an on-the-job assault; attacked by a workplace bully simply for doing my job. I decided to do some checking and I found that this waste of epidermis had a very colorful arrest and conviction record; things like attempted murder, auto burglary, threats to terrorize, assault with a deadly weapon and so on.

I wasn't a bit surprised when my then-employer failed to act; they seem to identify with this type of person more than anything else. But with workplace assaults being epidemic in this country I was shocked when Mr. Jagels and staff failed to prosecute. Perhaps he was just too busy chasing down rogue school principals, scofflaw mayors, or on any number of other witch hunts.

My advice to Mr. Jagels: Get a clue before you get a column. At least The Californian has the capacity to realize when a crime has actually been committed.

-- Jim Dunaway

Reader: My, my, my. A little tit-for-tat concerning the wasted space in the paper and Web sites on behalf of the D.A.'s office and The Californian. It must really be a slow work day for the both of you, since you have no new news or legal cases to try. But "Doth thou protest too much?"

-- Ed Ellis

Reader: Thursday's edition tried but failed to accurately represent a front page story "blown out of proportion." The misrepresentation was titled "War on Terror," suggesting it was an appendix to the principle headline story "War in Iraq."

The lead story focused on the war in Iraq and the surge in killings and the corresponding rise in U.S. causalities. The headline picture of a fallen serviceman who grew up in Bakersfield established the seriousness of the lead story. Next to it was the incorrectly titled story "War on Terror," which focused on a bogus Web page posting made as a prank by a student.

The Californian did establish skepticism for the student's claims of threatening to detonate nuclear weapons, but nevertheless, posting the fabrication on page one and "hyping it up" by using President Bush's signature phase "War on Terror" would suggest just such an event is just a matter of time. The prominent placement lent credence to President Bush's constant proclamations of pending terrorist attacks, including nuclear "dirty bombs" backing up his assertion Americans need to be fearful.

President Bush has repeatedly tried his best to instill fear into Americans.

Now with the elections just around the corner, he has doubled up on his rhetoric suggesting anyone not supporting his war effort is unpatriotic and collaborating with terrorists. By comparison, when Great Britain was suffering through its darkest hours in the early years of World War II, besieged with nightly bombing as the German Luftwaffe tried to break the morale of the British people, Prime Minister Churchill urged his countrymen to remain calm and proclaimed: "All we have to fear is fear itself."

For reasons crystal clear, our president, with the assistance of The Californian, intentionally seeks to promote fear instead of wisdom in dealing with adversaries.

-- Wade C. Eagleton

Jenner: Those readers who consider us a liberal rag will no doubt get a chuckle out of your accusation that we are colluding with the president.

The primary package on Thursday's front page contained two stories -- one about a sharp uptick in the number of U.S. troops killed recently in Iraq, and another story about a local soldier killed in the line of duty. Both stories were packaged under the label "War in Iraq."

To the left of this large package, was a 13-line blurb teasing to a Page A12 story that said that federal security officials were doubting the credibility of a threat to bomb a football stadium with a nuclear device. This item ran under a smaller label that said "War on Terror."

Because that story involved an act of threatened terrorism, I see no problem with using that label. I can't see how its use would strike fear in the minds of our readers.

By the way, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" in his first inaugural address in 1933. He actually was speaking about the Great Depression.

Winston Churchill certainly instilled courage in his fellow Brits, and he may have said something similar, but I couldn't find it.

Churchill did utter some memorable lines, including: "There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result."

And this pearl, which has a bit of relevance to this exchange: "This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read."