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Feeling profoundly sorry for the Aggrieved Jay
By JOHN F. KUCZAJ
I had a tortured Memorial Day weekend.
My troubles started when I read Michael Miner's May 24th Hot Type column asking for "A little sympathy, please, for Jay Mariotti." The column troubled me. For years I have regarded Jay Mariotti as a class-one jerk. I've come to see him as one of those rare columnists who revels in the muck he rakes and calls it his opinion. You know what I mean...one of those dorks who just likes to stir up the shit rather than adding anything substantive...at work those people are known as "assholes". I've attempted in the past to find and report on the inconsistencies in his "opinions," yet I realized that such an undertaking is as difficult as finding pork in the Illinois budget. From his declaration that Mark Grace was done, to the plea for the Cubs to honor Grace by trading him to a contender, to the admonishment of the Cubs for allowing Grace to go to a contender...it was just too damn easy. My friend Tom convinced me that Mariotti was a columnist who exists solely to bitch and complain. My friend Bob in Detroit told me that few shed a tear when he left that town for Chicago. There's something strange about a Pittsburgh native playacting as a serious Chicago sports analyst. Even Skip Bayless had a difficult time gaining acceptance here (didn't he end up here after being run out of Dallas on a rail while trying to out Troy Aikman?). Mariotti is a good fit for the scrappy image the Sun-Times likes to project - some trashy tabloid crap surrounded by class.
Oh, my. I'm rambling aren't I?
Okay...so I used to think that Jay Mariotti was only half the columnist Jerry Springer is (yet I DO think he's better than Paige Wiser nee Smoron). Then I read Miner's article and I'm blown away.
Stunned, I tells ya!
Mariotti has been wronged and his pathetic whining has been heard! How DARE Kerry Wood lash out against the Jay-man! Of course, Wood is still a young man and has to learn that journalists don't always get their information first person. The only people who write columns based on actually being at the event are called "good journalists." Wood failed to recognize the distinction between the two. Sometimes journalists get accounts from other journalists or even from out-of-context interviews--this is commonly referred to as, "lazy."
What the hell is wrong with Kerry Wood?
Okay, so the column really bugged me. I got little sleep that weekend until I finally decided to do something about it. First, I had a friend call the University of Chicago and set up an appointment, then I called a man named Johann Gruber, explained the situation and asked him to meet me at the U or C posthaste. Gruber agreed to assist me in my quest to help of Jay Mariotti. At the U of C, Dr. Adrian Kopovich of the College of Microscopy and Gruber set everything up for me.
Thus, on Sunday, with the help of the U of C's electron microscope and Johann Gruber's molecule-sized Stradivarius-I played the world's smallest violin in honor of the wronged Jay Mariotti! Oh, how I wept for his soul! So onward I played...
Jay had done nothing!
Why was he being persecuted? Oh, sure...he did mention that Kerry Wood blasted Don Baylor in a post-game tirade, but, hey! Jay couldn't be bothered to actually HEAR the tirade himself; Mike Kiley gave him the Cliffs notes anyway! Was it Jay's fault that he connected point "A" with point "7"? Well, sure, it WAS his fault but should he be criticized for it? Well, sure but does that give the Tribune...er "Tribsters" license to jump all over him? I mean, it's not like Mariotti has ever said anything bad about the Tribune...er "Tribsters".
They called him a Jackal! The bastards!!!! Jackass, yes, but Jackal? How could those Tribsters be so cruel? (Okay...at this point I have to stop saying Tribsters as it's starting to sound retarded...not "Rain Man" or "Life Goes On" retarded..."Slingblade" retarded.) Another thing was the implication that Jay doesn't work hard. Hey...I can personally attest how hard it is to crank out a column. Of course, it's not my primary job...and I don't get to sit in a cozy press box...and I'm not evil-but I can sympathize with Jay-man. It's tough cranking out stuff...so what if he made a continental leap in logic? Maybe Kerry Wood was subliminally talking about Don Baylor. As Miner wrote, Mariotti has incredible "powers of textual analysis" so maybe this was one of those times that jay-man is right and everyone else-including those nerd journalists who actually write about "facts"--are wrong. Was Rick Morrissey wrong in lashing Jay-Man in a Tribune column ("...when writers don't face the people they skewer, it makes life so much easier)? Oh, wait. Morrisey was right with that quote...I meant to excerpt: "It helps to...not surf the internet for secondhand information." Jeeze! Morrissey could have cut a fellow journalist some slack...I mean making something up like that! It would be like making up that he heard Kerry Wood was ranting about Don Baylor in the other room. Jay knows that Morrissey is a pro, so he should be admonished for stooping so low.
Hmmm...you know....the more I think of it, the more I'm beginning to realize that Mariotti is just another thin-skinned journalist who likes to dish it out but can't take any criticism.
Letters...I get Letters...
Original article:
"CBS Was Wrong - We need to see the entire Pearl Video"
(Friday, May 17)
John,
With all due respect, I totally disagree with your opinion that Daniel Pearl's videotape of his murder should be televised. First of all, your contention that Pearl was given preferential treatment by the press because he himself was a journalist, well, you're probably right. But Pearl was kidnapped and murdered BECAUSE he was a reporter. How is that any different from the way cops respond when one of their own has been killed? They turn out in droves because now it's personal, and they go to any lengths to catch the criminal. When was the last time a cop killing went unsolved?
To televise his murder is repulsive. From what I understand, his death was rather gruesome. I don't know if you've ever witnessed anybody die, but as an RN, believe me, I've seen plenty. Death is the final intimate act. But even in the most peaceful circumstances it isn't pretty, and trust me, it's certainly not something one would want to share with the world. Your opinion that we, the people, should be witness to this man's ultimate indignity in the name of the "public's right to know" is absolutely incomprehensible to me. Tell me, what would we, as a society, gain? How much more would we learn? To televise the videotape of this man's murder would be the utmost disrespect to his family, not to mention Pearl himself. Don't you think his family has suffered enough?
Besides, who but the most ghoulish even would watch it?
Scratch that...
Marcia Weiszmann
E-MAIL DEBATE:
Original article:
"What Number is the First Amendment?"
(Friday, May 17)
(May 20)
John:
First of all, filtering software (contrary to the American Library Association mantra) works fairly well and can be switched on and off to accommodate adults.
Secondly, the First Amendment, like most rights does not apply the same to children. Any owner of an adult bookstore would be cited for disseminating the same information to a minor. That would be the story subject's legitimate reference to "illegal", although it's much more fun to try to dismiss her as a nut. Do you think public institutions should be held to a lower standard?
The main point, of course, which seems to be lost on you is not splitting hairs about who can say what about their employer (although you missed the boat on that too, because we're talking about a public rather than a private entity). The point is that an institution that says it's protecting the First Amendment on this issue should be consistent. If you're in favor of ten-year-olds looking at this stuff (and we're not talking your basic porn here...the things I saw kids looking at and printing while working on this story ran more to the violent rape and sodomy genre) than you should be strong enough in that opinion to not silence your critics.
But hey, it's more fun to get it wrong and say Walter came out against free speech.
Thom Karmik
Perspective Producer WFLD-TV
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(May 20)
Thom,
There are still examples of filtering software problems.
I checked Wired.com and found one of many articles:
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51339,00.html
As far as protecting kids...I think I made my point that policies restricting kids access to the internet like they have at my library would be the most fair.
I don't think I'm splitting hairs about the main point though I do leave it open to someone who knows the law or has done research. You are giving me an opinion, and I can respect that but it doesn't change my mind. Is the Chicago Public Library considered a public entity when conducting internal business? That's a good question. If so, then I believe by law we average citizens should have access to their private chat rooms. Again...it may seem like splitting hairs, but we're talking law here and nothing spits a hair finer than the law.
I missed the original Perspective that Walter did and probably would have totally agreed with it...as I totally agree with nearly everything he does. In this case, I saw a...woman who was warned about her comments on the library chat room. She smugly ignored the warning and then was surprised at being suspended for insubordination....did you guys check with the Fox legal department to see if the library had the right to control that woman's speech in the chat room? If so, then I'm totally wrong and would admit it. If not, then someone didn't go the extra mile in research.
As far as the kids having access to the porn--no, I don't condone it and I'm sure the library bosses don't condone it--it should be restricted. Since the library refuses to use filtering software, it's up to them to implement another protection--no matter what the cost in manpower (which is probably their argument). That's the story.
Did I get it all wrong? Maybe. But I submit that if I reacted this way, others did too. Maybe we're all idiots or maybe the package had some holes in it. The truth is probably somewhere in between. My views are not so inflexible as to be impervious to change, but I need facts & evidence.
Anyway, like I said before...I agree with Walter nearly all the time.
This time I totally disagreed with the "free speech hypocrisy" angle.
John
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(May 20)
John:
PC magazine, among others, have rated software such as Cybernanny as much as 95% effective. I don't think, and we made it a point in the first package, that any such software should be used when it comes to adult computer usage. There are also several library systems across the country that are using the software and having no problems, which was another point from the first story.
As far as the library policy goes, your local branch would be the exception. The policy as we quoted it in the first piece is that library staff is told not to stop a minor from looking at pornography. From what I've been told by administrative staff downtown the people at your local branch are in violation of the stated policy. As addressed in the first story it is just not true that it has anything to do with manpower, or not being able to police the situation, the stated policy of the library is to allow this. So, bottom line, they do condone it. That's not opinion or conjecture, that's their policy.
As for the library employees, they are public employees and are not subject to the same sort of intimidation you had to deal with. Every attorney I've spoken to has concurred with that. Furthermore, the entire point of the listserve we referred to is for library staff to voice their concerns. Far from being stupid, I think this woman has the courage to speak out against a policy she thinks is wrong and was punished for showing how bad the policy is.
Thom
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(May 21)
Thom,
Actually, I don't live in Chicago (Harwood Heights) so I don't see the Chicago Library policy up-close. I might be more indignant toward the library administrators had I seen Walter's first report on the issue...sounds like they have a policy but no logical rationale behind it. As far as the woman speaking out on the listserv, since she seemed like the lone ranger in the report, I have to wonder why no other librarians are standing behind her.
John
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(May 21)
John:
…as far as the library thing goes, I hear there has been a bit of a rebellion on their listserve and it's running about 50-50. I also here there's going to be a big protest rally this weekend with parents and library staff, so stay tuned.
Thom
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Follow-up on filtering:
Three federal judges today threw out a federal law that would have forced public libraries to equip computers with software designed to block access to Internet pornography. See:
http://wire.ap.org/APnews/main.html?SLUG=INTERNET%2dFILTERING
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