February 18, 2005
'Oregonian' Misrepresents Truth Of JTTF Participation
Oops, The Editorial Board Did It Again
Correcting our state's newspaper of record really ought not to be like shooting fish in a barrel. But we suppose we shouldn't feel guilty about it, since the fault is entirely their own.
Once again today, The Oregonian published an editorial on Portland's participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force (although this time they've neglected to make sure it got posted online). And once again, they've managed to misinform their readers as to the facts, this time through a sin of omission in the editorial's closing two paragraphs.
The council keeps dillydallying about whether city police should participate in the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Well, of course the city should participate. Portland should have recommitted to the task force long ago.
The city will be in a far better position to judge the accuracy of Jordan's communications if the city takes the hint -- and keeps working with the FBI.
Now, neither Portland Communique nor The Portland Mercury are exactly unknown outlets in this town. Even people who hide within the insular and anonymous walls of The Oregonian editorial board must know about them.
But clearly they don't read them. Unless they want to cop to the alternative, which is that they are simply ignoring what we and the Mercury uncovered and which still has not been picked up by The Oregonian.
As we reported early last week (and as also mentioned by the Mercury), Portland officers continue to be assigned to the JTTF even absent the authorization of a new Memorandum of Understanding.
Does that sound like a reality reflected by today's Oregonian editorial? Clearly not. Which leaves only one question, the one to which we've already alluded.
To the anonymous author of today's editorial: Are you just woefully misinformed about the realities of Portland's participation in the JTTF? Or are you intentionally misinforming your readers using the power of the state's newspaper of record?
Comments (1)
Jack Peek on 18 Feb 2005
The council keeps dillydallying about whether city police should participate in the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Well, of course the city should participate. Portland should have recommitted to the task force long ago.
The elected officals in this town need to STFU, and get back to basics. Fire, water, police, schools.
I led the unsuccessful recall of the Mayor Katz, can we just stop for a moment and say what the impact of the recall might have been if we nailed her. Randy Leonard would be less vocal an start doing the damn job he was elected to do.
The message would have been,"get back to work on the people's real business and keep your nose out of other people who's job is to stop terror, and not make a safer climate for those who are here that want "infidels" to go away.
The "O" has turned me around on this one, people will want their "hired/ elected employees to knock off the grand standing for the next election cycle, and get back to work.