Did anyone else find Phil Luciano's column in today's Journal Star incredibly cruel and distasteful?
When I read yesterday's front page I was surprised and delighted to read that 12 West Virginia coal miners were found alive. Driving to work, listening to NPR, I learned of the major miscommunication and that all but one man had been killed in the mine. I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach.
I don't know any miners. I don't know anyone in West Virginia. I don't think I've had so much as a layover in that state. Nonetheless, their deaths saddened me a great deal. The emotional roller coaster that the miners families had unintentionally been forced to ride - one of fear, relief, joy, and profound grief seemed especially cruel.
Enter Luciano. This guy actually found something to laugh about. Gosh, mining isn't the most deadly profession after all! Why, look at all the silly stats, ways and means workers have discovered to off themselves while on the job! Tee hee hee!
Does the Journal Star have a single editor a morsel of decency? How could anyone let this go to press? Those who agree with me can take small comfort in Luciano's closing lines:
What about lowly newspaper hacks? We're lumped into the category of "writers, artists, entertainers and athletes," which accounted for 47 deaths.
I can live with the risk level, especially as long as the federal government cares to put me on par with the likes of Brad Pitt and Lance Armstrong.
Actually, your league lies with has beens Andrew Dice Clay, Carrot Top, and Pauley Shore, Phil.
If your mind is too open, your brain will fall out. Warning: Names, identities, descriptions, and pictures have been changed and/or used to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. PollyPeoria should not be used or quoted as a source for your senior college thesis.
Thursday, January 5
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3 comments:
Will do!
I also found it distasteful and was somewhat surprised to hear Markley and Luciano continue this conversation on my drive home...
I switched over to Roe Conn on WLS.
I was so annoyed I sent Phil a little something in the form of a very public verbal slap... Which led to the dissapearence
I was so annoyed I sent Phil a little something in the form of a very public verbal slap... Which led to the disappearance of Phil's article through out cyber space..... this is all that's left of the original article.
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Tammy and I both sent responses to Phil Luciano after reading his article
Mining isn't most deadly job
Here is the link to where the article is supposed to be, http://nl.newsbank.com/nojavascript.html
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I set my tact aside and let him have it along with others just in case you would like to respond to him yourself his e-mail address is pluciano@pjstar.com
and his boss's address is krutledge@journalstar.com
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Phil,
This is the sixth version of a letter I have been trying to put together in response to your article....
Mining isn't most deadly job
I was hoping to share my thoughts on it without completely loosing my temper. But alas I realize that is just not a possibility. So Instead I will apologize not to you but to your boss (who will also be receiving a copy of this letter. For momentarily forgetting that I have any tact at all. I know that in your profession there are those who come to work everyday for the love of the job. And fewer like you whom apparently only show up for the check. You sir are a let down to your profession! I don't know how your story even managed to find its way to print. It is your JOB to report the facts to the best of your ability not fabricate them as a means to voice your own opinion. From start to finish I have yet to find one accurate speck of information.
Starting with your opening statement...."Mining seems like a dangerous occupation." Mining IS a very dangerous occupation! I'm not sure where you got your numbers but they are way off. However your misrepresentations of the so called facts are not the issue at hand. The issue is just where do you get off in putting something like this into print can it be that you couldn't set just a moment aside to consider what a emotional toll your story would have on those who are grieving an unimaginable horrific loss at this moment. Is there any reason to add to that pain by basically saying yeah its dangerous occupation but not to dangerous and really when it comes right down to it I don't really care because...."I can live with the risk level, especially as long as the federal government cares to put me on par with the likes of Brad Pitt and Lance Armstrong.
Well Phil If little else you have managed to if show that indeed you are very full of yourself. So let me close by pointing out that perhaps it is time to turn in that cup you have hanging off your ass to catch the excess and exchange it for a bucket. Cause there is SH_T allover the floor.
And you're without a mop.
To your employer I do apologize for my lack of tact But in the end I'm not the one who ran the story. There is little more that I can say. An article like this from someone like Phil is a blemish to your News Paper and I am not at all alone in believing that he owes your readers a very large apology of his own.
Mary Vivenzi
Killedonthejob@usmwf.org
USMWF
United Support & Memorial
For Workplace Fatalitieshttp://www.usmwf.org
Ignorance is more intelligent then undeveloped knowledge.
Another friend of mine responded to him as well
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(Tammy's Response)
Hello,
I had to do a double take after seeing this article. I even checked to see if this was a real news room. What in the heck were you all thinking by writing and then printing this junk? Having lost a brother at the workplace and I took this article at heart as I read the words and then look at the columnist photo peering back with that grin. How could one allow something this disrespectful and demeaning to hit the public. I also wonder why one would feel the need to even think of of grouping words like six barbers died, which makes me wonder about the fate of their customers. "Food and kindred products" (say, honey, can we have kindred products for dinner tonight?) accounted for 64 deaths. Of those, four came in the making of "sausage and other prepared meats." I don't even want to think about that one. Some deaths seem ironic, such as nine at amusement parks. To think you all get paid for it. Maybe you all need a reality check instead of the pay check. What a waist of talent.
And Happy New Year to you all!
Tammy Miser
tammy@usmwf.org
USMWF
United Support & Memorial
For Workplace Fatalities
http://www.usmwf.org
Ignorance is more intelligent then undeveloped knowledge.
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Your search for headline,lead(Mining isn't most deadly job) AND date(12/20/2005 to 1/25/2006) returned 1 article(s), listed below, out of 1 matching your terms.
Article 1 of 1{FOUNDITEMS:-0}, Article ID: 0000706245
Published on January 5, 2006, Peoria Journal Star, The (IL){PUBLICATION2}
Mining isn't most deadly job
Mining seems like a dangerous occupation.
Still, despite mining's dangerous history and this week's tragedy in West Virginia, the industry has become safer. Credit goes to heightened federal inspections and revised mining methods. According to the Department of Labor, 152 miners died on the job in 2004 - only 2.7 percent of fatal occupational injuries nationwide. That's down from 2.9 percent in 1992, and that percentage was as low as 2.1 just four years
Complete Article, 563 words
link:
http://nl.newsbank.com/nojavascript.html
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