On The Media

David Radcliffe misspoke when he referred to sanctuary cities in the Bible as for those escaping from "vigilante" justice for "unjust" crimes. Sanctuary cities were for those guilty of committing accidental murder who were escaping the wrath of their victum's family. Once reaching the sanctuary city, the murderer could repent. I'm not sure this is the analogy your writer wants to make.

Katie Couric was not the only news person to use words to toss trash on Mr. Jewell's body after his death.

The New York Daily News' headline read, "Antihero of '96 Olympics dies". Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines an antihero as "a protagonist who is notably lacking in heroic qualities(as courage or unselfishness).

Jewell discovered Eric Rudolph's suspicious package at a concert and tried to evacuate the area before the bomb exploded. Perhaps that wasn't heroic as in "just doing my job" but it was hardly selfish or lacking in courage.

Ironically, the same Daily News article went on to say,"Last year he(Jewell) old The Associated Press that despite Rudolph's conviction, some people would always remember him as a suspect, not a hero."

We can start with the New York Daily News and its headline writers for examples that prove Jewell's words were prophetic.

I appreciate Joel's comment, but believe the parallel to hold--these were cities of refuge, not places seen as "weak" in some way for harboring people on the run. And they were for people who were being unfairly pursued, as I would consider immigrants--who are just trying to find their space in the global economy. I've been to their home communities in Central America--believe me, they'd rather stay home, but find their own economies undercut by international trade policies and find their options often limited to sweatshops or a dangerous trip north--neither particularly good options.

You ran the following as a purportedly intact Katie Couric cut: “Back in 1996, the FBI investigated Richard Jewell, an Atlanta security guard, in connection with the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta. Richard Jewell died today of complications from diabetes. He was 44. Jewell was never charged with any crime. There is much more CBS… [FADE-OUT]”

I can be one of Couric’s fiercest critics, but I still tune in the CBS Evening News. I heard Katie report on Richard Jewell’s death, and the version I heard included something to the effect that Richard Jewell was completely exonerated and that he brought successful libel claims against unspecified “media” concerns. A somewhat expanded version of the report can be found at

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/29/national/main3217855.shtml?source=search_story

You have produced a false and misleading hatchet job on CBS and its less-than-illustrious current anchor. We need a media watchdog for NPR’s media watchdog.