Executive editor Rich Riegel wants to know
Mid-county Memo Executive Editor Rich Riegel has a question for the Memo’s blog readers. I’m looking for some comment on the story we ran in the September 2006 Memo, “Bus restaurant riles Argay neighborhood.”
Although I may have my priorities mixed up, I’ll ask my own personal and professional question first.
In the story by our excellent reporter Lee Perlman, he said, “Since March an old bus has been sitting at the intersection of Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 141st Avenue. Since July a sign has proclaimed it to be the El Carreton restaurant.”
Perlman goes on to describe the restaurant from local neighbors perspective as either a “detriment and an eyesore” or “an ingenious entrepreneur finding a way to provide for a poor population.”
Perlman reported that, Both viewpoints were present, and clashed, at the July 18 Argay Neighborhood Association meeting. Randy Slipher, owner of the property, with the K’s Mini-Market & Deli in the rear, was there.
So was Jorge Blackmore, operator of El Carreton, as was Karl Kunberger, owner of east Portland’s Venture Inn Tavern & Sports Bar across the street from Slipher and a former Argay Association chair, and many others.
In the next paragraph Perlman reported, “When Kunberger criticized the bus, Slipher turned on him. According to Kunberger and others, Slipher used very profane language and, at one point, told the bar owner, ‘Hey, you asshole, we can take this outside.’ It is not the first time Slipher has threatened him, Kunberger said. Perlman continued: “Slipher denied threatening Kunberger. ‘I told him he could kiss my ass,’ Slipher said.”
Here’s my first question for our readers, and, again, this is how my journalistic thinking works: Do you find it appropriate that we used the words “asshole” and “ass” in one of our articles?
Many years ago, one of editorial edicts went something like this: “Never print anything in a newspaper that you wouldn’t want your grandmother to read.”
Did we cross a line or offend you as a reader with our verbiage? Do you think our old adage about our grandmother’s sensitivities still applies? As long as we’re on the subject of Perlman’s article, do any readers have any comments about the story?
And, from the executive editor’s viewpoint, I’ve got another question for you: Were you able to follow Perlman’s story well, and did you understand the point of the story?
Did you think Perlman crossed a line himself by his crafting of the story, especially with the line in the first paragraph, “despite harassment by intolerant people with too much time on their hands.”?
I thoroughly enjoy Perlman’s approach to journalism; to me, he fulfills my editorial mantra, “Only those who know the rules can break the rules.”
Your comments are welcome. No, that’s too passive: Your comments are urged and desired, because this newspaper and this blog site are forums for your ideas. Use us well.
my comment on you jurnalistic (sic) thinking is ALL, jurnilists’, (sic) is that they are all “assholes”
I don’t see any benefit from spelling out the expletives that people use in a news story.
It doesn’t provide more useful information, just makes “news” seem more like “editorial”.
As for what “sallie” says: She can’t spell or use punctuation, doesn’t know ALL journalists and most likely
nothing about journalism. Her comment is a reflection of her own identity and should be dismissed as such.