CO heroine being attacked by the media - for a DECADE-old mistake!
- Thread starter Green Lantern
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k-frame
Member
Methinks he meant 20 centuries ago and is referring to Jesus.
It seems to me it is not any more or less relevant than her age or the caliber of the gun she used. Its not directly relevant to the incident, but might be relevant to the story on the whole. If she had an old drunk driving charge, they might well have mentioned that as well.
I don't think she should be crucified over a decade old issue, but she can never quite leave it behind her either. Thats just the way things work in the real world. It seemed to me the report was mostly matter of fact about her past, allowing the reader to decide if it mattered much. I am willing to bet those whose lives she probably saved are quite willing to forgive a decade old transgression. No doubt the statute of limitations is up.
What if she was a murderer recently released from prison and instead of shooting the guy she hit him with a bible to stop his attack? She still did a good and courageous thing. She would still also be a convicted murderer.
I don't think she should be crucified over a decade old issue, but she can never quite leave it behind her either. Thats just the way things work in the real world. It seemed to me the report was mostly matter of fact about her past, allowing the reader to decide if it mattered much. I am willing to bet those whose lives she probably saved are quite willing to forgive a decade old transgression. No doubt the statute of limitations is up.
What if she was a murderer recently released from prison and instead of shooting the guy she hit him with a bible to stop his attack? She still did a good and courageous thing. She would still also be a convicted murderer.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Well...There's a helluva lotta difference between murder and a lie. Let's see a show of hands for all who've never lied. C'mon! Nobody has screwed up and tried to smooth it over with a lie? Let me be the first to admit it. I've been naughty and lied about it later.
And...If anybody has actually lied to cover up a screwup...do you feel that it's fair to have somebody rag atcha about it 10 or 15 years after the fact...and after you've already atoned for your sin?
The same media that seems to be bent on crucifying this lady appealed to us as a nation to let bygones be bygones when the Chief Executive Officer of the United States committed adultry in OUR Oval Office and lied through his teeth about it repeatedly.
k-frame
Member
I don't see the media "crucifying" Ms. Assam. The AP found a fact. Reported same. And it's done. Where else is she being "crucified"? I've looked online, can't find anything except stories that present her in very positive lights and very devout.
I'm all in favor of calling the media (or any organization) to task when they don't do their jobs or do them poorly. But just ain't seeing it here.
I'm all in favor of calling the media (or any organization) to task when they don't do their jobs or do them poorly. But just ain't seeing it here.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
They'll get around to it. Give'em time. They just haven't figured a way to put the right spin on it yet.
They've already planted the seed with the factual report. If they weren't building up to something more...why even bring up such a trivial matter in light of the woman placing herself in the line of fire to save other people from being shot?
Aren't we shooting the messenger (figuratively speaking of course) in blaming the AP reporter for the fact that Assam's firing was reported?
Shouldn't we be questioning with just as much intensity why the PD commented on this detail? Unless Assam's firing had already been discussed publicly and thoroughly years ago, I see no reason for the PD to have brought it up now. I've spent a couple of decades in large corporations; our policy always has been to just confirm dates of employment and perhaps titles of former employees, with any exceptions largely limited to executives, or others who were public figures while with the firm.
That the PD did bring this up suggests to me that there is more to the story. What that is I can't tell.
What appears clear, though, is that some here would not be happy unless the Media spun the story in FAVOR of CCW, RKBA, etc., with as just as much fervor as some apparently believe it is spinning AGAINST such things.
The media is what it is, but if it just reports what it has, I'm not sure I expect much more than that.
So I ask: What is it that people here think the media has intentionally left out about Assam in reporting on the Church shooting?
Shouldn't we be questioning with just as much intensity why the PD commented on this detail? Unless Assam's firing had already been discussed publicly and thoroughly years ago, I see no reason for the PD to have brought it up now. I've spent a couple of decades in large corporations; our policy always has been to just confirm dates of employment and perhaps titles of former employees, with any exceptions largely limited to executives, or others who were public figures while with the firm.
That the PD did bring this up suggests to me that there is more to the story. What that is I can't tell.
What appears clear, though, is that some here would not be happy unless the Media spun the story in FAVOR of CCW, RKBA, etc., with as just as much fervor as some apparently believe it is spinning AGAINST such things.
The media is what it is, but if it just reports what it has, I'm not sure I expect much more than that.
So I ask: What is it that people here think the media has intentionally left out about Assam in reporting on the Church shooting?
k-frame
Member
Possible, but IMO unlikely. That said she and others have hinted at some difficulties in her past, none of which should make a durn bit of difference to this act of heroism. And if she di have some personal issues - and overcame them - then her character shines even more. And that's a goodstory. So rather than a negative spin, I wouldn't be surprised if she were asked to be on Larry King (gack...) or The Today Show (double gack...) and celebrated.
I just hope she is OK from the shooting and the attention. Taking life has got to be unimaginably hard on someone who's main purpose is to prevent harm. I know that sounds trite, but it's still true.
Everyone who buys the Star tribune that thinks this reporter is a a$$ hole for digging past news about her to make her look bad should let the paper know they will quit buying their trash paper as long as they employ that reporter.--MONEY TALKS!
Willy
Willy
RoadkingLarry
Member
No, but we've been married almost 26 years now and I've gotten used to it...
Its my hope that Ms. Assam has no trouble sleeping after her act of courage. I hope the knowledge that she undoubtably saved lives assuages the natural human reaction to having been in a situation like that and a POX on any who denounce her.
k-frame
Member
Could be the AP reporter was just looking at public records and the followed up with a conversation when she saw the dismissal. Or it came up in conversation with the Minn. police who may have been simply and truthfully answering a question like "why did she leave the department?" Or it could be that someone in the Minn PD has a grudge against her (but after 10 years?)
More than likely the firing was reported when it happened back in 1997 or whenever, and reporters can search those story archives. Most cop dismissals usually receive some coverage - how much just depends on circumstances. This sounds like it would have been a couple of paragraphs, at most, when it happened.
Like I said before, sometimes reporters just come across stuff. No agenda, not even looking for "dirt" as some have suggested. Nothing more than routine background fact checking - and then they find themselves saying, "oh brother, look at this." And to ignore something is just as bad as making up stuff.
k-frame
Member
She doesn't work for the Star-Tribune. She works for the Associated Press. The S-T simply ran the story that came across their wires. As did a number of news outlets.
So, you're saying that ignoring a silly, trivial matter from a decade ago that has no bearing on current events is as bad as "making something up"? If they accidentally discovered that she shoplifted once as a teenager should they include that too? Just because you uncover something that doesn't have any bearing on the current event doesn't mean you are duty-bound to include it. Furthermore, doesn't it stand to reason that good things in her past would have been uncovered as well? Why wasn't something good, yet still irrelevant, included? Why pick the bad one?
Bottom line, reporters decide what is "a story" and what "facts" to include as well as what not to include. They then write the story based on their own bias even if said bias is simply limited to picking that particular topic or "fact" out of the many things they could report. Then, editors decide what to publish and/or what should be changed. To imply reporters just do background research and then dutifully report "facts" isn't very accurate at all.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
A news reporter without an agenda?
Totally New Concept!
Sistema1927
Member
Hmmm, have I ever lied to cover up my bad behavior?
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I guess that I need to turn my CCW back to the state. I am no longer to be trusted since I am a confessed liar.
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I guess that I need to turn my CCW back to the state. I am no longer to be trusted since I am a confessed liar.
k-frame
Member
Only if it's part of a public criminal record. If it's sealed, it's sealed.
True. Except in this case Ms. Assam was a former police officer. If she was fired from a plumbing job for lying we'd probably would not have heard about it. See comments below related to context of the story.
Did she receive any commendations during her stint at the Minneapolis PD? Or was the record silent? Again, if she wasn't a cop then this all would be moot.
True. It's called editorial judgment and what to leave it and what to leave out can be more hotly debated than the dialog on this board.
"Bias" in this case means selecting those facts relevant to the central story. Irrelevant facts are frequently left out because of space limits. For example, the color of the clothes she was wearing when she shot the creep. In fact reporter bias is something that good journalists try to weed out of their stories, and if they don't then their editors should (and let's leave Dan Rather out of this, can we please?)
I never said that reporters solely report facts - they also provide context and structure, and Ms. Assam's background (warts and all) is part of the context of how she came to be in the right spot at the right time. Thankfully.
ETA: And the reporter may have found the background just by Googling. I won't post the link here but try it and see.
It seems to me that Minneapolis PD is the one showing their bias. The AP may have had an agenda with this story, but the MPD "spokesmen" definitely had an agenda, selectively remembering why she left the department but having no other record is definitely showing bias?
Aguila Blanca
Member
That makes sense. What does not make sense is that ANY employer would have a record, ten years later, of exactly why a person was discharged, but would conveniently have no other records of the period of several years during which she was an employee. But the MPD claims her personnal records were destroyed because "it was so long ago" when she worked there.Eagle103 said:
So tell me again how you just happen to have all the info on her being fired at your fingertips.
It stinks.
Warlokke
Member
+ 1 on the fact it stinks and shows media bias! 
Rockrz
member
I thought it was Jesus Christ.
Never heard Him called ''Jesus dude'' before.
k-frame
Member
Well, not exactly. It wasn't the media who had the information first:
http://www.charityadvantage.com/CUAPB/JeanneAssam.asp
Can't tell when that was first posted though IMO it's been up a while.
OEF_VET
Member
The Arabs would say "Insh' allah," which translates roughly into 'it was/is God's will.'
I just sent the church an e-mail, letting them know how proud I am of Ms. Assam. She did the right thing, standing up for others in the face of danger. She is truly a hero, regardless of what the media has to say about her past life. I'm not perfect, that's for sure. Nor do I expect perfection from others. She did what needed to be done that day, and that's all that matters.
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