A caller today was extremely upset at a story about K2, one of several brands of dried herbs that contain chemicals that affect people who smoke it in a manner similar to marijuana.
"I can't believe you'd even consider writing an article about something like this," she said. "If you don't put things like this out there, the kids won't know about it. They're going to see this and say, 'Oh hey, let's go find some of that.'"
All-too-common occurence illustrates a problem I encounter pretty much every week: A reader contacted reporter Randy Covitz and me about Covitz' story last week about gay athletes, after Larry Johnson's recent suspension for using the words "fag" and "faggot" on Twitter and while speaking to the media.
The reader's point was weak, but defensible: Shouldn't the story have quoted someone who thinks using those epithets is no big deal, and that homophobia is justifiable?
UPDATE: It's a moot point now, as she's been charged. This story names her -- Jill Theresa Conaghan -- along with her booking mug shot.
A user on KansasCity.com just contacted me to protest the "unfair treatment" he endured when a Web editor removed a comment he'd posted on a story about the arrest of a 19-year-old woman in the death of Sandra Carocari.
Two different readers this morning have asked me a question I hear all the time:
"Are you hearing from other readers about this?"
In one case, the caller's point was a fair one that nobody else had made: He thinks The Star doesn't devote enough attention to high school sports in his part of town. That's relative, and I bet parents in other parts of the area would disagree, but it's still reasonable (and I've shared it with the high school sports editor).
I just spoke with a caller who thinks The Star is "giving free advertising to the Roeder defense team."
She points to today's coverage of the on-again-off-again eBay auction to sell items in order to raise money for Scott Roeder's defense. "It reads like the paper is telling people to go out and bid on things," she says, pointing to the large headline on Page A-4.
Stepping outside of the newsroom here for a moment, I should answer a question I heard this morning, because it's a fairly common one.
Speaking to a reader who described herself as elderly with mobility problems, she asked: "Is there any way to get a newspaper without all the ads and circulars in it? Some days like on Wednesday and Sunday I can barely pick it up and bring it in the house, and then I have all that paper to get rid of."
A note from a reader that I'm sure many will agree with:
Why does the Star feel the need to report every 'Swine Flu' death?
(http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1536913.html)
Influenza kills 36,000 Americans per year. Swine Flu is less dangerous than other influenza strains. Yet the media have people whipped into a frenzy over it. It's more sensationalism that leads to victim mentalities and dumb decisions (closing schools, etc.).
First of all, I have to give full disclosure: Anne Winter, former owner of Recycled Sounds record store and a local free-speech advocate, was a much-admired friend of mine.
Anne died last week at the age of 45. Several readers have contacted me since then to ask how, their questions prompted because of her youth.
An excellent criticism from a reader:
"I am so disappointed yet again with your reporting. I am so tired of you guys repeating the word F****T in print when people say it. It isn't any different for your reporter to repeat it than it is for Larry to say it in the first place. You don't see others printing the N word when it is used. Two wrongs don't make a right!"
She's referring to today's story about Chiefs running back Larry Johnson's use of a slur used to denigrate gay men.
A reader is disappointed in the print edition of The Star for not covering Saturday's coordinated protests around the world in the 350.org activists' campaign for more action to counter carbon dioxide emissions. KansasCity.com had several items, including a photo gallery and video from The Associated Press.
