[Peace-discuss] A curious omission by the News-Gazette

Thu Dec 11 00:14:57 CST 2008

Hi Randall:
*
"I cannot know your intent in this situation, but your actions are
indistinguishable from a deliberate effort to defend the News-Gazette even
without knowing the details, stating an opinion that the edits were "a
fairly common and mundane editorial practice", implying that my criticism
was unfounded"*

In reflection it would have perhaps been better if I had established an
intent behind my original post. However, instead of asking me what my
intentions were you chose to make some assumptions of your own.  Actually my
intent was to suggest that this is another possible explanation....not you
are wrong and I am right. My education and training has taught me to look at
these situations from more than one perspective and to give each equal
weight and consideration. My intent was not to discredit you or your
perspective and I apologize for leaving you with that impression.

*"I challenge you to do the actual comparison and come away from that with
your opinion unchanged"*

In the above statement you are very clearly stating that you are challenging
me. I find your use of language here to be combative and not conducive to
discussion. I'm not here to 'win' debates or score points - I have better
things to do with my time.

One of the reasons why I even took an interest in the original post is that
media criticism is something I am interested in. During my undergraduate
years I had to take courses that included news writing, copy editing,
broadcast news, television and radio. As such I have something of an
understanding of how the production process can have an impact on the
output. There are so many factors that influence the information we receive
and what both you and I had to offer was two different approaches. Once
again this is something I could have done a better job of clarifying.

At one point someone made a comment to me that the News Gazette needed to
increase the diversity of it's workforce.  I cited a book chapter which
pointed out that minorities represent perhaps ten percent of the student
population in communication majors (this includes journalism). At the
masters level this drops significantly and this in turn has a tangible
impact on how reporters are trained and media is produced. Women and
minorities in the media are often socialized to go for the more
'entertainment' areas of mass communication and the results are something we
see in how decisions are made on a daily basis.  Add organizational and
corporate structures into the mix and we have a whole different ball of
wax.  I once had a production teacher who refused to let me tape sporting
events because, in his opinion, as a female I lacked the physical ability to
do the job. Since then I've covered basketball, hockey, and wrestling and my
gender had nothing to do with my ability. However, for a variety of reasons,
I don't have the stamina that I used to have.

I hope this clarifies my position.

Peace, Marti

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 9:35 PM, Randall Cotton <recotton at earthlink.net>wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marti Wilkinson" <martiwilki at gmail.com>
> To: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
> Cc: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 11:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] A curious omission by the News-Gazette
>
>
> : It didn't occur to me that I was being quick to 'defend' the
> News-Gazette.
>
> OK, but that certainly was the appearance. Soon after I posted (less than
> an hour), presumably without actually looking at the NG article in
> question and doing the comparison that I did, you took the trouble to post
> a response blunting my criticism of the News-Gazette, saying you thought
> the edits had a totally innocent explanation.
>
> I cannot know your intent in this situation, but your actions are
> indistinguishable from a deliberate effort to defend the News-Gazette even
> without knowing the details, stating an opinion that the edits were "a
> fairly common and mundane editorial practice", implying that my criticism
> was unfounded.
>
> : My comment was to the effect that what you observed may be a reflection
> of a
> : standard practice in newspapers. As for your decision to 'challenge'
> me - I
> : have to ask why are you so quick to judge my response?
>
> Well, I think I had all the facts necessary to make a quick judgment that
> you were casting doubt on my claim of expurgation by the NG to favor the
> military. I made the criticism, and you took the trouble to post a
> counter-argument, claiming an innocent alternative explanation for the
> edits, which had the effect of defending the News-Gazette against my
> criticism.
>
> Some more details:
> =============
> Also snipped from the article was the following passage, regarding the
> trouble Kelly and Joshua were experiencing in trying to get Joshua into
> counseling in a Warrior Transition Unit. This passage reflects poorly on
> the Madigan Army Medical Center (again, where Sgt. Barber drove his pickup
> to commit suicide):
>
> "Kelly Barber said the couple worked with Madigan officials to help
> approve his transfer, but there were numerous delays and no decision had
> been made at the time of his suicide. Sharon Ayala, spokeswoman for
> Madigan, declined to comment because an investigation is pending."
>
> ***
>
> Total space allocated for article photos: 120 square inches
> Total space allocated for article text: 70 square inches
> Total additional space needed to fit entire original article: 9 square
> inches
>
> So instead of printing the full article (for which there was clearly
> room), the News Gazette took the trouble to clip out the bits that
> mentioned:
>
> 1. how there were "numerous delays" getting Joshua into a counseling
> situation
> 2. the fact that Joshua made a point to dress in his "old combat uniform"
> before commiting suicide
> 3. the fact that his wife thinks Joshua was "making a statement to the
> military" by dressing in his "old combat uniform" and killing himself in
> front of the Magidan Army Medical Center.
>
> I maintain that whatever statement Joshua might have been trying to make
> would tend to reflect poorly on the military.
>
> Perhaps he meant something like "My combat experience in the military
> drove me to commit suicide and the Army wouldn't help me".
>
> But thanks to the News-Gazette's surgical censorship, its readers will not
> be allowed to ponder Joshua's message, which might lead the reader to
> think more negatively about the military.
>
> R
>
> : On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 11:00 PM, Randall Cotton
> <recotton at earthlink.net>wrote:
> :
> : > Well I think it's clear that you tend to give the NG the benefit of
> the
> : > doubt, much moreso than I. Did you see the original article? Did you
> : > compare the two? Why are you so quick to defend the NG?
> : >
> : > If you were to study the two articles side by side, you would see that
> : > there several edits. A sentence here, a sentence there, with at least
> one
> : > other instance of removing material unflattering to the military. It
> : > wasn't just a matter of lopping off the last few lines. Yet so little
> : > space was saved. The large front-page photo could have been something
> like
> : > 73 or 74 square inches instead of 76 and the entire article could have
> : > been preserved. There was another smaller photo as well. Making each
> of
> : > them imperceptibly smaller would leave enough space for the whole
> article.
> : > I remain convinced that whoever edited that article was biased in
> favor of
> : > the military. Is it hard to accept that the NG might be biased in
> favor of
> : > the military? Would you find it hard to believe that there have been
> other
> : > instances of bias in favor of the military in the NG? Or that
> publisher
> : > and editors might be biased in favor of the military?
> : >
> : > I challenge you to do the actual comparison and come away from that
> with
> : > your opinion unchanged.
> : >
> : > R
> : >
> : > ----- Original Message -----
> : > From: "Marti Wilkinson" <martiwilki at gmail.com>
> : > To: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
> : > Cc: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
> : > Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 10:18 PM
> : > Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] A curious omission by the News-Gazette
> : >
> : >
> : > : In Journalism reporters are trained to start off a story with the
> : > : information that is considered to be the most newsworthy. As an
> article
> : > : progresses the information becomes less of a priority. So in the
> event
> : > that
> : > : a copy editor cut's off a paragraph or two from the bottom the
> people
> : > who
> : > : read the article will still get the bulk of the story.  While the
> N-G
> : > may
> : > : have had room to 'fit' in the missing paragraphs it may well be an
> : > editorial
> : > : standard to use large photos in order to get a visual appeal to
> readers.
> : >  The
> : > : further away an article is from the front page the less likely it
> will
> : > be
> : > : read and this is something that publishers take into consideration.
> : > :
> : > : In this instance, I see this as being part of a fairly common and
> : > mundane
> : > : editorial practice....and the News-Gazette is not unique in that
> : > respect.
> : > :
> : > : Marti
> : > :
> : > : On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 9:30 PM, Randall Cotton
> : > <recotton at earthlink.net>wrote:
> : > :
> : > : > Mention was made at last Sunday's AWARE meeting about the quite
> : > prominent
> : > : > story on the front page of the Commentary section of the Sunday
> : > : > News-Gazette.
> : > : >
> : > : > It was a McClatchy Newspapers article about the rising suicide
> rates
> : > in
> : > : > the military. The article was somewhat unexpected in my opinion
> and
> : > : > laudable on the surface. It featured the story of Sgt. Joshua
> Barber's
> : > : > suicide as related largely by his wife Kelly (who is featured in
> large
> : > : > compelling photos). However, it turns out the article as printed
> was
> : > an
> : > : > edited version of what was originally a somewhat larger article.
> In
> : > : > particular, a very significant part of the story was omitted in
> the
> : > : > snipped News-Gazette version. The following is the end of the full
> : > : > article, describing the end of Sgt. Barber's life, when he arrived
> at
> : > : > Madigan Army Medical Center (referred to as "Madigan" below). All
> of
> : > this
> : > : > was completely lopped off in the News Gazette version:
> : > : >
> : > : > *****************************
> : > : > Surveillance video shows that Barber arrived at Madigan about 7
> a.m.
> : > the
> : > : > next day and didn't get out of the pickup, according to the police
> : > report.
> : > : > A Madigan employee found his body two days later and called 9-1-1.
> : > Kelly
> : > : > Barber, who was working at the time of the discovery, was notified
> : > later
> : > : > that morning.
> : > : >
> : > : > According to the medical examiner's report, Barber had put a
> revolver
> : > : > loaded with hollow-point rounds to the right side of his head and
> : > pulled
> : > : > the trigger.
> : > : >
> : > : > He was dressed in his old combat uniform.
> : > : >
> : > : > "He was making a statement to the military," Kelly Barber said.
> : > : > *****************************
> : > : >
> : > : > It's not like the NG didn't have room to fit this in. The front
> page
> : > photo
> : > : > was exceptionally large (over 70 square inches). Did the
> News-Gazette
> : > omit
> : > : > Sgt. Barber's last desperate statement under the rug because it
> : > reflects
> : > : > poorly on the military? So it would appear. A google search turned
> up
> : > the
> : > : > article in 8 different places. None was missing the above excerpt.
> : > Sgt.
> : > : > Barber's statement is arguably the most compelling part of the
> story,
> : > but
> : > : > apparently it was left out deliberately by the News-Gazette for no
> : > other
> : > : > discernible reason.
> : > : >
> : > : > Following is the full article, taken from:
> : > : >
> : > : > http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=92728145
> : > : >
> : > : > Please read it. It's not long.
> : > : >
> : > : > **********
> : > : >
> : > : > "Do you think that God's going to send me to hell for killing
> innocent
> : > : > people?" former Sgt. Joshua Barber asked his wife one day last
> summer.
> : > : >
> : > : > Kelly Barber tried to reassure her distraught husband. Nearly
> three
> : > years
> : > : > after a combat tour in Iraq, he was a shell of the loving and
> : > fun-loving
> : > : > man she'd married nine years earlier.
> : > : >
> : > : > Joshua Barber was quiet, withdrawn, constantly fighting demons he
> : > couldn't
> : > : > exorcise. His question reinforced her fear that he was sliding
> further
> : > : > into a well of guilt and despair as she tried desperately to hold
> on.
> : > : >
> : > : > The couple had sought help from the Army and U.S. Department of
> : > Veterans
> : > : > Affairs, but Kelly Barber said they got caught up in red tape.
> : > : >
> : > : > "He just had to fight so many battles, and no one would help him,"
> she
> : > : > said.
> : > : >
> : > : > The 31-year-old soldier killed himself three weeks after asking
> that
> : > : > terrible question.
> : > : >
> : > : > On Aug. 25, a day after his wife reported him missing from their
> home
> : > in
> : > : > Lacey, Joshua Barber drove onto Fort Lewis in his silver 2005 Ford
> : > F150
> : > : > pickup, a gift from his wife when he returned from Iraq.
> : > : >
> : > : > He parked in the lot at Madigan Army Medical Center and shot
> himself
> : > in
> : > : > the head with a revolver, one of several guns he'd taken from
> home.
> : > : >
> : > : > Barber's death is hardly an isolated case. In a nearly three-year
> : > period,
> : > : > more than half of the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
> who
> : > : > committed suicide did so at least a year after their deployments
> : > ended,
> : > : > Army data show. A large number of soldiers who hadn't deployed
> also
> : > took
> : > : > their own lives. The number of suicides involving veterans ages 18
> to
> : > 29
> : > : > receiving care from the VA nearly doubled from 36 in 2005 to 68 in
> : > 2006,
> : > : > the most recent figures available, according to the VA.
> : > : >
> : > : > The Army and the VA have redoubled their efforts to prevent
> suicides.
> : > Both
> : > : > have expanded services and launched initiatives aimed at suicide
> : > : > prevention.
> : > : >
> : > : > The Army is hiring dozens of counselors and has developed an
> : > interactive
> : > : > video so soldiers can identify warning signs and help a distraught
> : > : > colleague through various scenarios. The Army and the National
> : > Institute
> : > : > of Mental Health recently announced a five-year, $50 million
> research
> : > : > program into the factors behind soldier suicides.
> : > : >
> : > : > The VA, meanwhile, is taking steps to improve its screening among
> : > veterans
> : > : > diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and
> : > increase
> : > : > training so chaplains can look for warning signs. In July 2007, it
> : > : > launched a national suicide hot line, which receives thousands of
> : > calls
> : > : > each month, said Fred Blow, director of the VA's Serious Mental
> : > Illness
> : > : > Treatment Research and Evaluation Center.
> : > : >
> : > : > "The Army is doing everything possible, but you still have those
> who
> : > : > choose to take their own lives," said Maj. Nathan Banks, an Army
> : > : > spokesman.
> : > : >
> : > : > A cook -- and a gunner
> : > : >
> : > : > For Joshua Barber, the serious problems began a year after his
> return
> : > from
> : > : > Iraq.
> : > : >
> : > : > He had deployed with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry
> : > Division
> : > : > from September 2004 to October 2005. The Stryker brigade has since
> : > : > transferred to Germany.
> : > : >
> : > : > Barber was a cook but found himself a gunner on missions in Iraq.
> : > : >
> : > : > His VA physician wrote in an assessment after his death that "it
> is
> : > : > reasonable and valid to attribute his suicide to post-traumatic
> stress
> : > : > disorder, particularly in light of the fact that he joined during
> : > peace
> : > : > time, not knowing he would be called on to serve in war. ...
> : > : >
> : > : > "At the point of enlistment, he probably never suspected that he
> would
> : > be
> : > : > called on to serve in a combat role," she wrote in the assessment,
> a
> : > copy
> : > : > of which was provided to The Olympian by Kelly Barber.
> : > : >
> : > : > Barber joined the service before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
> : > : >
> : > : > On Dec. 21, 2004, a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a
> mess
> : > tent
> : > : > near the Mosul airport, killing 22 people. Among the dead were 14
> U.S.
> : > : > service members, including six Fort Lewis soldiers.
> : > : >
> : > : > For days, Barber and other soldiers had to keep the area secure
> and
> : > escort
> : > : > federal agents around the crime scene. After his return home, he
> had
> : > : > nightmares about the mutilated bodies lying everywhere, his wife
> said.
> : > : >
> : > : > "He would say that all he could remember was the smell of death,"
> she
> : > : > said. "That bothered him quite a bit."
> : > : >
> : > : > When a sniper's bullet killed his first sergeant, Barber blamed
> : > himself.
> : > : > He was convinced the noncommissioned officer would still be alive
> if
> : > : > Barber had gone on that mission, his wife wrote in materials
> submitted
> : > to
> : > : > the government.
> : > : >
> : > : > Barber noted in his post-deployment health screening that he felt
> at
> : > least
> : > : > one time during his deployment that he was in "great danger" of
> being
> : > : > killed. He also acknowledged that he had an experience so
> frightening
> : > and
> : > : > upsetting near the end of his tour that he felt numb or detached.
> : > : >
> : > : > However, the screening official concluded that Barber had "no
> medical
> : > : > issues" and didn't refer him for treatment, including for combat
> and
> : > : > operational stress, according to the screening, a copy of which
> was
> : > : > provided by Kelly Barber.
> : > : >
> : > : > Her husband eventually sought private care.
> : > : >
> : > : > During his leave, the couple attended a concert by Weezer, an
> : > alternative
> : > : > rock band. Barber, who his wife said was usually "the first one in
> the
> : > : > mosh pit," couldn't handle having so many people around him.
> : > : >
> : > : > She later recalled a camping trip where she remarked about the
> beauty
> : > of
> : > : > the surrounding mountains. Her husband said he liked the scenery,
> : > too --
> : > : > because there would be "good hiding places so no one would get
> me,"
> : > she
> : > : > remembers him saying.
> : > : >
> : > : > Medically unfit
> : > : >
> : > : > Barber's status with the military added to his stress. He
> transferred
> : > to
> : > : > an Army Reserve unit based in Tacoma to serve out his military
> : > contract.
> : > : >
> : > : > He was required to undergo a retention physical. It wasn't until
> : > August
> : > : > 2007, nearly a year after he underwent the physical, that he was
> found
> : > : > medically unfit to continue serving. The military deemed the
> reasons
> : > to be
> : > : > nonduty-related.
> : > : >
> : > : > He was given an honorable discharge in January. He was hired as a
> cook
> : > at
> : > : > Madigan, where his wife also worked. (Kelly Barber no longer works
> : > there.
> : > : > The 40-year-old just moved to Florida, where her family lives.)
> : > : >
> : > : > By spring, and after some initial delays, Joshua Barber had
> received a
> : > : > disability claim from the VA for post-traumatic stress disorder
> and
> : > had
> : > : > begun receiving treatment at one of its hospitals.
> : > : >
> : > : > He had requested a transfer back to the active-duty ranks so he
> could
> : > join
> : > : > a Warrior Transition unit, where injured soldiers are assigned
> until
> : > they
> : > : > either can return to their regular unit or are medically retired.
> : > : >
> : > : > He thought receiving counseling in an environment where other
> soldiers
> : > : > shared his experience with combat would aid in his treatment, his
> wife
> : > : > said.
> : > : >
> : > : > Kelly Barber said the couple worked with Madigan officials to help
> : > approve
> : > : > his transfer, but there were numerous delays and no decision had
> been
> : > made
> : > : > at the time of his suicide.
> : > : >
> : > : > Sharon Ayala, spokeswoman for Madigan, declined to comment because
> an
> : > : > investigation is pending.
> : > : >
> : > : > Drinking and an apology
> : > : >
> : > : > Early in the morning of Aug. 24, Kelly Barber awoke to find her
> : > husband
> : > : > watching television in the living room, drunk. His drinking had
> become
> : > a
> : > : > problem.
> : > : >
> : > : > She became angry and stormed back to the bedroom. Later in the
> day, he
> : > : > called her at work to apologize. In one of their last
> conversations,
> : > he
> : > : > "said he loved me and he was sorry," she recalled, breaking down
> : > during an
> : > : > interview.
> : > : >
> : > : > "Sometimes I think it's my fault," she said a little while later.
> : > : >
> : > : > He wasn't home when she returned from work. She later discovered
> that
> : > he'd
> : > : > taken all the guns and ammunition from the home.
> : > : >
> : > : > On the kitchen counter, she found his cell phone and a green
> Post-It
> : > note.
> : > : >
> : > : > "I love you. Please do not blaim (sic) yourself. Sorry," it read.
> : > : >
> : > : > She called police.
> : > : >
> : > : > Surveillance video shows that Barber arrived at Madigan about 7
> a.m.
> : > the
> : > : > next day and didn't get out of the pickup, according to the police
> : > report.
> : > : > A Madigan employee found his body two days later and called 9-1-1.
> : > Kelly
> : > : > Barber, who was working at the time of the discovery, was notified
> : > later
> : > : > that morning.
> : > : >
> : > : > According to the medical examiner's report, Barber had put a
> revolver
> : > : > loaded with hollow-point rounds to the right side of his head and
> : > pulled
> : > : > the trigger.
> : > : >
> : > : > He was dressed in his old combat uniform.
> : > : >
> : > : > "He was making a statement to the military," Kelly Barber said.
> : > : >
> : > : > **********
> : > : >
> : > : >
> : > : > _______________________________________________
> : > : > Peace-discuss mailing list
> : > : > Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> : > : > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
> : > : >
> : > :
> : >
> : > _______________________________________________
> : > Peace-discuss mailing list
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> : > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
> : >
> :
>
>
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