Blog: Rod Boyce: The editor's desk
A policy revision on Web site comments
Published Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Arguments about war and the politics of war don’t belong in certain places. They don’t belong in the comments area of Fairbanks Daily News-Miner stories about the deaths of soldiers, airmen or Marines.
That’s why we have decided to no longer allow comments on those stories.
When the News-Miner writes a story about a member of the military who dies in a war zone, the story isn’t about the war — it’s about the man or woman who died in that war. It’s about the recollections of that person by friends and family members. It’s about family traditions, sibling pranks, boyfriends, girlfriends, the things that make a life a life. And it’s about life after the loss of a life.
Those stories shouldn’t be soiled by comments about the conduct or rationale of the war. The Web is large enough, even the News-Miner Web site is large enough, for people to make their political points elsewhere. Letters to the editor, for example, or on stories about force movements into or out of Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base.
Therefore, readers wanting to comment on a story about the death of a soldier, airman or Marine will be redirected to a third-party obituary Web site where a Guest Book will be available. The site is Legacy.com, which allows comments on obituaries but which has personnel who moderate those comments, meaning the comments are reviewed before they are posted. The Guest Books will be online in perpetuity, at no cost to the families.
If someone is killed as a result of a drunk driver, isn't the story also about drunk driving?
If someone is killed as a result of gang violence, terrorism, or domestic violence, isn't the story also about those things as well?
So why, for this one violent cause of death of our young people, is the story not also partly about that cause?
Sorry, Rod. Your rationale does not hold water.
Who decided this,
surely not you, definitely your bosses down in Texas; the owners if the Newsminer media!
Freedom of Speech usurped!
It's called respect for the men and women who die for this country. The same country that gives us freedom of speech!! Hello!!!
I feel that Rod Boyce is not only displaying good judgement but true compassion. Thank You for honoring our fallen soldier's memory by ensuring that it is a story about them and the life they lived.
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