Our readers write — letters to the editor

Haiti cartoon was offensive
 To The Editor: I am writing this letter concerning an article written in your paper on Jan. 18. The article, shown on Page 4, is written by Michael Reagan, featuring the devastation in the country of Haiti. I was outraged by what looks like a cartoon picture of rock rubble spelled out in the name of Haiti with a hand lifted slightly above the rubble. After seeing the picture, I went to the office of The Messenger and spoke with David Critchlow Jr., the editor. He listened as I told him my view, as a concerned citizen in the community. I expressed to him that of all pictures shown on TV and the Internet of Haiti, why would he publish a cartoon of the horror we all are witnessing day by day. He told me that the (cartoon), to him, depicts a hand reaching up for help. I then expressed to him, then why not have a real photo of a real person being pulled from the rubble. I said why not put a photo of the military doing their job. And, to me, being a veteran myself, and having seen that kind of living with my own eyes overseas, a cartoon picture doesn’t move anybody to rise up and be compelled to help out in Haiti. I informed Mr. Critchlow that the hand shown should not be of African descent because there are more than just Haitians being rescued there. Mr. Critchlow did take heed to my argument and informed me that he would look more close to what’s being published and how the public relates to it. I said to him that I read and like The Messenger, even though I live in the Jackson area. I am from Union City and I still work in the area at Goodyear, and I am a former police officer in this community. My mother and other relatives live here in Union City and this type of publishing affects them and me. One last thing, I expressed to Mr. Critchlow that in the future, could he at least on Jan. 18 (M.L.K. holiday) have something in the paper about what M.L.K. did for this community, the country and throughout the world. Mark Brown Jackson Published in The Messenger 2.3.10

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