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| Saturday, Feb 16 2008 7:10 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Feb 16 2008 7:12 PM
Reader: The headlines over the past few days: "Officers slay parolee" and "AFTER THE SHOOTOUT" and "SEEKING ANSWERS" sickened me.
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Mr. Jenner, as the editor of The Californian, what exactly are you trying to imply? More importantly, what moral aptitude would validate the thought process in choosing them?
Lastly, I must ask the question; Are you, or is someone close to you affiliated with a gang?
Any time an officer uses his weapon, and a life is taken, members of this community must take notice.
I do not believe that one life is more important than another. But the truth is we as a community have been assaulted.
Gangs have not only infiltrated our city, but they've brought their own laws with them. It is because of this influence of violence that we all live our lives differently.
Maybe you should be reminded that the good citizens of this community hate the fact that gangs are here at all.
Now, based on past story lines and content, I would never expect this newspaper to be pro-law enforcement, but this was so one-sided that it's time for a reality check -- and a serious one.
Mr. Jenner, if you feel sympathetic to a well-known shot caller for the Eastside Crips street gang, a criminal with a long criminal record, who committed many crimes, who was on parole with a loaded weapon, who ran from the cops, then shot a cop twice, then it's time for a new editor.
Life is about choices. Amid the pre-lawsuit verbiage of "turning his life around," Mr. Anderson chose to live a life of violence and crime.
Officer Eddy chose a life of protecting our homes, families and communities. I wish this officer, his family, and the other officers involved in this incident peace. The peace that comes from the knowledge that being a cop isn't a job at all; it's a purpose.
Thank you for going out there every day, making this community a bit safer for us all ... even Mr. Jenner.
-- Nancy Venable
Jenner: I have no sympathy for gang members nor for anyone who would shoot a cop. And I, too, appreciate the risks Dennis Eddy and every police officer in this community take to protect us and keep the peace.
Every story we've reported has contained the official account of the shooting. Tuesday's story also contained comments from neighbors. It also contained information about Leon Anderson's convictions and prison terms.
Some of those in the neighborhood we quoted criticized the police. The fact we included their comments doesn't mean we're taking their side.
Even the police routinely review and question their own people when investigating such incidents -- and they even get the perspectives of people who are hostile to law enforcement.
Reader: The story on Tuesday's front page headlined "Seeking answers" is blatantly biased.
I assumed it would contain facts indicating that officers may have shot Leon Anderson without having just cause, thus raising questions of possible police misconduct. However, in spite of the facts provided in the article insinuating police misconduct, police misconduct is not supported by any facts. Much is made of the fact that Anderson was shot nine times.
However, it is common for a person who has been fatally injured to continue to resist until their final breath. Also an issue is made as to who fired first. Totally irrelevant. An officer does not have to wait until the subject actually pulls the trigger to take lethal action. The article states that neighbors said that Anderson "didn't need to be killed."
I expected the article to pick up that thought and explain why the police didn't have to kill the armed, dangerous felon. The article goes to quote an individual as saying "What he went through that night wasn't right."
Again I expected a little follow-up reasoning as to why the subject didn't think what happened was right but not so.
The only fact set forth in the article is that when officers approached the subject he ran and when the officers pursued he pulled a hand gun.
Under those circumstances, the officers' only option was to use deadly force to protect themselves and the public.
Although the step-by-step evolution of the confrontation are unknown at this time, the question as to whether or not the officers were justified in doing what they did is not in question.
So what question are we "seeking answers" to?
-- Marvin Coston
Jenner: The first paragraph of the story said "...both police and neighbors came out in force Monday to get to the bottom of what happened."
The fact that Anderson was shot nine times was mentioned once.
Reader: I have a comment for Mike Jenner in regard to the headline about the police officer-involved shooting. I was very pleased to see that you made an apology in the paper. I think it's that type of journalism that at least speaks well for your ability to say you or the paper were wrong at some time. I think it needed to be done and you did it appropriately. I appreciate that.
-- Robert Herrick
Reader: I would like to take a minute to tell you how impressed I was to read Tuesday's Californian and read your comments commenting on Monday's headline, "Officers Slay Parolee." My letter was one of three letters you published criticizing The Californian.
I can say that in my humble opinion it is rare that a newspaper will respond so quickly to comments by its readers and when you do, it shows class by you and your newspaper.
Kudos to you.
-- Ron Miller
Reader: Thank you for printing the story about the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas. It is great to let people know that this remarkable sight is readily available to us just five miles north of Hearst Castle on Highway 1.
My husband and I are among the docents who stand on the bluffs in all kinds of weather answering questions about these fascinating creatures who live their "out-of-the-ocean" lives right under our noses.
We see people from all over the world. In one three-hour session, I spoke to tourists from 12 different countries.
One of my favorite questions came from a wide-eyed little girl who wanted to know how I made the seals come there!
Being a volunteer for Friends of the Elephant Seal gives me an excuse to stand and watch for hours at a time, which is what I wanted to do anyway!
When you come to see for yourself, say hello to any blue jacketed docent you find there. It might be us!
-- Sandra (and George) Larson
www.elephantseal.org
Reader: I just wanted to belatedly thank you for the little humorous gems you put throughout the paper from time to time. Such as the sidebar on the front page on Feb 6. It said Mike Huckabee got one third of the vote from a particular group, while his two opponents evenly split the remainder.
You really keep people on their toes with reporting like that. Thanks.
-- Jack Romain
Reader: I have an issue with the use of the Community Voices forum for letters from people who are not members of our community. I think we would be better served having this forum reserved for letters from people who actually live in Bakersfield and Kern County.
I view Monday's letter by Scott Edmonds of Los Angeles and others like it as nothing more than self-serving for the writer. In Mr. Edmonds' case, he personally profits from the use of drug-sniffing dogs.
I think you should revisit your criteria for Community Voices or create another section for people whose opinion you want to publish, but are not members of our community.
-- Steven Geraci
Editorial Page Editor Dianne Hardisty responds: Thanks for expressing your concerns.
Because of the volume of letters to the editor we receive, we restrict publication to local writers.
Exceptions may be made, however, regarding writers from outside The Californian's circulation area who are commenting on Bakersfield or Kern County issues or responding to a Californian editorial or news story.
Mr. Edmonds is the son of a Bakersfield couple. He operates a canine business. In fact, it is the business tied to a court case often mentioned in the debate over the proposal for drug-sniffing dogs to be used in the Kern High School District.
His motivation in writing to The Californian was to clarify comments made regarding local use of dogs. He also wished to respond to a Californian editorial that opposed using dogs in local high schools.
In fairness and to help inform our readers, we believe it was proper to publish his Community Voices article.
Reader: First of all, I just wanted to say that I enjoy posting and reading reviews on the Inside Guide on Bakersfield.com. I've also enjoyed The Insider's blog posts, but haven't seen any new ones in a while.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing future posts from The Insider and reading and posting reviews in the future on the Inside Guide.
Thank you. From a three-year (and counting) subscriber,
-- Bryan Jackson