27 hours ago I emailed a journalist taking issue with his word usage in a recent article. I don't live in a big city so we're not talking The Boston Globe but the paper is not The Stars Hollow Gazette either.
No response.
Here is the article. What do you think I should do? Write to the editor? Start a letter writing campaign? Just let it go?
I'll link the article first but I'll wait a little bit to post my letter because I want some unbiased thoughts.
Man admits he had sex with child for five years
By Douchebag who didn't write me back
Updated 6:15 p.m., Thursday, August 16, 2012 ..
TROY – A 32-year-old Rensselaer man will spend 15 years in prison after admitting Thursday that he sexually abused a girl for almost five years while she was between the ages of five and 10.
William Sheldon pleaded guilty to first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child before Judge Andrew Ceresia and will also serve 20 years post release supervision and must register as a sex offender.
"I had sex with her," Sheldon told the court.
Officials said Sheldon abused the girl, and three others all under the age of 13, between Sept., 2006, and June, 2011, at 85 Aiken Ave., Rensselaer.
Assistant District Attorney Katharine Hemann said prosecutors are in favor of a plea in the case to avoid a trial where the children would have to testify.
"I'm going to accept this plea because the victim's family is satisfied that they will get closure in this case and spare the victim from testifying as to what this man did to her," Ceresia said.
Sheldon was originally indicted in January on the charge he pleaded to as well as predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
Post by dr.girlfriend on Aug 17, 2012 19:06:58 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't know what you're upset about. I don't know what "first-degree course" is, but I don't know much about legal terminology, it could be a thing.
Ok here's what I said. I thought it was nice and explained my reasoning well. DH thinks maybe he hasn't checked his email but what the hell journalist doesn't check his email?
>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi Hisname,
I'm not sure how much editorial control you have as far as headlines go, but can I kindly reccomend you change the title of your recent article on the Times Union web site? The term "have sex" is fine in the vernacular but has no place in a news publication. The word "sex" refers to the differentiation of the species. I realize it was probably based on the defendant's quote but there is really no need to perpetuate the dumbing down of our language as I'm sure you will agree. Since the victim was a very young child the more appropriate word would be "rape."
There are lots of stupidly worded titles to news articles in papers all over the world, and online, and in pretty much any place anyone has to write a title.
There are lots of stupidly worded titles to news articles in papers all over the world, and online, and in pretty much any place anyone has to write a title.
That imply a 5 year old is capable of having sex? :-(
Post by hannamaren on Aug 17, 2012 19:13:05 GMT -5
But since the man said "yeah, i had sex with her ". It seems he is taking the words of the bad guy. If he said, man admits he raped child, couldnt that be slanderous?
So would you object to a headline saying something about "CEO fired for consensual sex with employee not in his chain of command" because it refers to the differentiation of the species? You should have just said, "this was not having sex with a child, this was raping a child as there is no way to just have sex with someone that young." Please do not minimize what happened here.
I don't think "have sex" is an appropriate term for two reasons. The age thing should have been obvious and the colloquial thing is just my lament at the falling standards of print journalism.
Post by UMaineTeach on Aug 17, 2012 19:17:45 GMT -5
but he didn't admit to rape - he admitted he 'had sex with her' they were quoting what he admitted to. The could have said 'Man sentenced for child rape' but if they are going to say 'Man admits' they have to write what he said to the judge in the plea.
I don't see anything wrong with the title. The man didn't admit to raping her, so I'm not sure that the journalist could really call it rape (even if it was) until he is convicted. It's not like he can go back and change the title now.
Too much time on your hands - to worry about a reply from him, at least. He will see your email, and he may re-think his titles in the future.
Yeah I just think it's unprofessional. I respond to every single work related I receive within an hour of recieving it - usually much less. I pay money to read this guy's newspaper and he can't evne acknowledge my correspondence?
I get that the guy didn't admit to rape even if by the dictionary if not the the court system that's what he did but the title could have been "man admits 5 year assault on child" or something else. "Had sex" is just so wrong.
I don't see anything wrong with the title. The man didn't admit to raping her, so I'm not sure that the journalist could really call it rape (even if it was) until he is convicted. It's not like he can go back and change the title now.
My email was referring to the web publication, which he actually edited hours after I wrote him to make other changes but not the ones I requested.
Yeah I just think it's unprofessional. I respond to every single work related I receive within an hour of recieving it - usually much less. I pay money to read this guy's newspaper and he can't evne acknowledge my correspondence?
Um, maybe he went away for the weekend? Like, apparently, EVERYBODY based on the emptiness of the train station parking lot this morning.
And by the way, regarding how much input he has into headlines -- the answer is probably "little or none."
I think it's wise of him not to respond to you. Engaging weirdos only encourages them, and you are the weirdo in this situation.
Yeah I just think it's unprofessional. I respond to every single work related I receive within an hour of recieving it - usually much less. I pay money to read this guy's newspaper and he can't evne acknowledge my correspondence?
Um, maybe he went away for the weekend? Like, apparently, EVERYBODY based on the emptiness of the train station parking lot this morning.
I think it's wise of him not to respond to you. Engaging weirdos only encourages them, and you are the weirdo in this situation.
You think it's weird to point out that child rape shouldn't imply consent?
He's not on vacation he published another new article today.
Um, maybe he went away for the weekend? Like, apparently, EVERYBODY based on the emptiness of the train station parking lot this morning.
I think it's wise of him not to respond to you. Engaging weirdos only encourages them, and you are the weirdo in this situation.
You think it's weird to point out that child rape shouldn't imply consent?
He's not on vacation he published another new article today.
He's probably, wisely, not engaging you as Dr.G pointed out. And not responding is probably more professional than getting into an email back and forth about semantics and proper language usage.
I get why you are mad, and I also get being obsessively ragey over little things, but seriously, let.it.go.