Responding to an email exchange from last week that was prompted by an MNB Sports Desk item about athletes refusing to play as a way of drawing attention to social injustice, systemic racism and violence against Black Americans, one MNB reader wrote:
I read the readers response on your views and your answer. And while I am in no way condoning the brutal shooting of Mr. Blake I think the readers point in part which wasn't recognized is that the media did not and has not in general stated what Mr. Blake did or did not do prior to the shooting. We only had the salient part of the story which is not objective journalism. I am totally against excessive force and am aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement but what can't be ignored is failure to comply with an officers request to stop and fleeing can lead to these situations. However the officers if properly trained can take steps to bring those into custody without taking these brutal and criminal tactics.
I would agree that most journalists pay the most attention to the most salient part of the story - but since "salient" means "most important," I'm okay with that, and thought it was largely reported objectively. I felt informed about the facts of the case - but of course, I don't get my news from social media.
In one way, I'm old fashioned - I get my news from multiple newspapers. In others, I'm reasonably modern - I read the newspapers online.
Another email, from MNB reader Curt Alpeter:
I just wanted to say great job with the host of the political and social rebuttals you have had lately. You do such a great job making very appropriate points to some highly charged topics. I use them as a model for the occasional time I jump into the fray… Damn, these are challenging times and your clear, concise, real and thoughtful responses to these issues is so refreshing. I WISH more folks subscribed to your approach to being human, treating people with respect, and not making every dang issue a you-are-with-me or against-me stance.
Thanks.
