OT: Dear John

by PtownJake on Apr 3, 2008 3:38 PM PDT

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf?/base/sports/1207106708137090.xml& amp;coll=7

Mr. Canzano,

I appreciate your editorial comments, which at times, I find to be insightful, entertaining and impactful but your piece on Scott Morrison was the worst I've read in the last few years, only second to your exposé on Darius Miles' trip to the strip club. Your writing style in both these pieces took on an incendiary first person tone, leading your readers to believe that your editorial word carries the utmost truth, as if you yourself were a witness to these events. In my opinion, this has little place in the Op-Ed section of a reputable publication, let alone sports writing. I am not an alumnus of Portland State nor am I a Vikings fan but I am a fan of the legal system of this country and to my knowledge, Mr. Morrison's or Mr. Dominguez's guilt has not yet been established.

Tucked neatly into a second-paragraph sentence you include the phrase "alleged participant." While this may protect you under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, I find it to be highly abusive. These young men are not NBA players. They are not prominent public figures. They are student athletes. Your presumed guilt could cause irreparable harm to their future in our society. If the courts find them guilty, then by all means use your power as a published journalist to reprimand their actions, for the crime committed was a disgusting display of human indignity. However, until then, report the facts. Your story fell well below journalistic standards and is something more along the lines of what I would expect from a celebrity Ezine. If Mr. Morrison and Mr. Dominguez are found innocent, maybe you can find yourself a job working at PerezHilton.com.

An Avid Oregonian and Sports Section reader,

Jake

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Somebody broke that dude's face

And it's probably unlikely another 6'11" white dude did it. His family appears to have paid off the victim to secure Morrison's release. I don't think there is much question about who did the assaulting.

Let's hope the injured guy can heal up.

by tweener on Apr 3, 2008 3:51 PM PDT reply actions

i hope

the sports editor addresses this.

i would email him with your thoughts:

try this addy: markhester@news.oregonian.com

For more pictures and videos, check out the BlazersEdge Facebook group and www.youtube.com/blazersedgeben

by Ben Golliver on Apr 3, 2008 4:05 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks, I did send this in...

To John, the managing editor of journalistic standards and the magaging Op-Ed editor.

by PtownJake on Apr 3, 2008 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions

sometimes

the oregonian reminds me of the baltimore sun depicted in The Wire, season 5.

For more pictures and videos, check out the BlazersEdge Facebook group and www.youtube.com/blazersedgeben

by Ben Golliver on Apr 3, 2008 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow ben, I'm a little surprised at your candor

Now that you are a credentialed journalist you are really lighting up several of your peers with your comments.

by tweener on Apr 3, 2008 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions

ahh point taken

i love the oregonian. its beat writing and features for the blazers is second to none.

i am no journalist. just a blogger.

i should clarify: sometimes a certain reporter reminds me of templeton. and the way the paper treats him reminds me of the wire.

take this comment more as a commendation of the wire for its authenticity and less as a criticism of the O. they've got to do what they've got to do and i am a daily consumer of all of their properties.

For more pictures and videos, check out the BlazersEdge Facebook group and www.youtube.com/blazersedgeben

by Ben Golliver on Apr 4, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

yeah

I'm generally a fan of waiting until we know the facts before writing a column like that. If they are found innocent, we'll see if Canzano issues his first ever "mea culpa."

by jksnake99 on Apr 3, 2008 4:07 PM PDT reply actions

Seriously?

Jake, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and articulating them well, and putting yourself out there to start this discussion.

I, personally, however, have no idea how using the phrase "alleged participant" is abusive? I mean, that's exactly what they are, alleged by the victim himself (at least, originally) to have been his attackers. That may or may not be true, it hasn't been proven, and it's certainly shaky evidence, from all kinds of shaky sources. But, the very bottom line is that they are involved, and had been accused by the victim.

And they are not NBA players, but they are american citizens, one of whom, by most accounts, however unreliable one may judge those sources to be, apparently, possibly, may have, or was at least involved in some way in the brutal beating of another american citizen. The only reason whoever did this is not a murderer today is by sheer, dumb luck that the victim survived. This was a HORRIBLE incident. And Morrison an Dominguez have been deeply involved in it, in one way or another.

No, they have not been proven guilty yet--they have not even been charged with any crime, and they may not ever be. That's the nature of the situation, with shaky evidence, alcohol involved, in a foreign country with different police practices and a different legal system, such that there may never be enough information to convict anyone, ever. That should not therefore compel Canzano or any other writer for that matter to behave as if they are innocent.

I hear this all the time. "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?" That idea is a theoretical basis for our court system, meaning that the burden of proof is always on the prosecutor, and the accused is presumed innocent until the prosecutor has proven guilty beyond any reasonable doubt... it has nothing to do with some sort of right to not have a reporter or anyone say you are guilty of something until you have been proven so in a court of law. Canzano is using his judgement here, which is well within his rights, and standards of journalism, to say that it appears Morrison did it, and to discuss some further implications of that... because he doesn't write a column wringing his hands saying "I dont know, no one knows, they haent ben proven guilty" every other sentence doesn't mean he was irresponsible.

He annoys me all the time, but I thought the criticicm of him, in this case, by Jake, was way off.

That's just my take, props, again, for starting the subject, Jake.

by TimG on Apr 3, 2008 4:27 PM PDT reply actions

To Clarify

The use of that particular phrase is not what I find to be abusive. Those words along with another "apparently" later on in his article allowed Mr. C to hide behind the First Amendment freedom of speech clause and prevent a potential libel suite from being filed against him and the paper for defamation of character.

I agree that he should not have to plaster a "this may or may not have happened" disclaimer across his article but given those involved (non public persons [this may be another topic entirely]) and the lack of evidence, he has on obligation, in my mind, to provide a balanced view, even as an editorial writer.

In the latter portion of the article, Canzano writes "Someday, maybe Morrison will explain what got into him. He can't dismiss this as some awful spring break mistake...He apparently will avoid a long stay in jail, but he'll likely face consequences for his actions. He probably wants nothing more than to make this all go away." In my view, this statement insinuates that Morrison's guilt is undeniable, where clearly given what evidence has been brought to light today, it is not.

You and I likely have read the reports that have been made available, giving us a platform on to which we can form our own opinions about whether or not Morrison or Dominguez were involved. Canzano does have an obligation to his employer and readers to write on what is timely and relevant. The subject matter clearly is but his eagerness to perpetuate a presumption of guilt is unjust and deserving of criticism.

by PtownJake on Apr 3, 2008 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow

Please forgive my grammar and spelling there, I am at work, so I had to type quickly...

by TimG on Apr 3, 2008 4:31 PM PDT reply actions

Just do what I do

I haven't read anything written by Canzano in over a year. It sort of doesn't matter since I live in Hawaii but he is the closest "journalist" to Rita Skeeter that I have ever encountered.

I'm tominhawaii and I approved this message.

by tominhawaii on Apr 3, 2008 11:53 PM PDT reply actions

Chuckle. good comparison.

by annthefan on Apr 4, 2008 1:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Like Tom, I don't read Canzano

except when someone points out articles like this. Nice work Jake. Very well written.

I think he should have his ass sued off. Or better yet, have the Oregonian hit with a $1 million defamation suit. How is it in any way good journalism to put out a column like that when the facts seem to be very much in dispute.

Seems like Canzano decided to use the story to climb up on his high horse and denounce spring break in Mexico. His contribution to manning the barriers against the disintigration of western society.

(Wonder if he had to take a break from hanging out in strip clubs, hoping to see a Blazer walk through the door.)

by timg56 on Apr 4, 2008 8:16 AM PDT reply actions

This is way more sensationalist than Canzano

A defamation lawsuit would be thrown out, instantly. He is taking what he clearly says is the account by the victim and exploring what it means. He is not IN ANY WAY defaming anyone, it is public information that Morrison has been accused, and was arrested and identified by the victim. Canzano is not making any sort of outrageous claim, he is repeating what the victim said, and what the evidence did seem to suggest at the time, and exploring what the implications of this incident are.

I do think he out-thought himself here. Like, "See this is what happens in Mexico on spring break," then, "Well, maybe responsibility doesn't lie all with Mexico, but rather with the actions of an irresponsible individual." So, I think where people are taking what Canzano is doing, and think he is making some sort of disguised but really final judgement, by saying it's on morrison, not mexico--they should realize, at least I think, that Canzano is primarily talking about the general issues that surround this thing that happened. So he says its on Morrison, not Mexico, not to make the final judgement call on Morrison and declare him guilty, but, taking what appeared by most accounts to be likely that it was Morrison, and exploring the difference between Mexico's responsibility, and personal responsibility, using Morrison as an example.

And, he did end up saying the ultimate responsibility lays on the individual, in this case, seemingly, Morrison's judgement, and not on spring break in Mexico... I think, if anything, his initial response must have been to "denounce spring break in Mexico" but then he came around to "don't blame Mexico, blame the individual" so I don't see how you can say that he used it as a story to denounce spring break in Mexico...

It seems like there is just so much hatred of Canzano, because these posts seem to go so far overboard, that it makes it look like there is severe prejudice working here, rather than reasonable consideration of the situation.

That's just how it seems to me, though. I can understand there being several reasons for such responses to this really sad situation, but I just don't think it makes a lot of sense.

Next time he writes so worthless, patronizing, pedantic story about a player at a bar or a stripclub, I'll be the first to come on here and criticize him... but this is a different subject entirely.

by TimG on Apr 4, 2008 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Canzano: The kid, not the country, launched

the attack." "Blame it on Morrison."

Blame what? You do not have to be a journalism major to see that Canzano has clearly decided Morrison's guilt. This is not Canzano reporting on what the victim said. It is Canzano trying and convicting a young man in the press.

And his column is not just a piece on indidivual responsibility. If it was, why does he mention alcohol and drinking at least six times?

Granted, it's unlikely he is at risk for a lawsuit. That doesn't mean Canzano is any less irresponsible. Sort of ironic, don't you think, for a guy to be talking about being responsible in his column, while showning none of it himself? Do you truely think that his column was a piece of good journalistic work?

by timg56 on Apr 7, 2008 7:35 AM PDT reply actions