April 13, 2005
Fred Stickel's War On Civil Liberties
Is This Why The 'Oregonian' Hyperventilated Over The JTTF?
Over in today's Willamette Week, the fifth "Murmurs" item contains something we were trying to pull together ourselves, regarding an exchange between Commissioner Randy Leonard and Oregonian publisher Fred Stickel which more than one person had described to us as "unbelievable".
The exchange in question occurred during an editorial board meeting with Leonard and Mayor Tom Potter in the days leading up to City Council's hearing on oversight for the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the version of it in today's WW is a bit skimpier than what we've had related to us.
The WW reports that Leonard offered a reminder of past civil rights abuses by the U.S. government during times of crisis, citing the example he often provides: The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. While the WW has Leonard saying that Stickel leaned over and said it was the right thing to do, Leonard told us that what Stickel said was that it was the right thing to do back then and would be the right thing to do today.
In today's WW, they have Stickel's version, in which he says he was simply trying to explain that 20-20 hindsight doesn't count, and second-guessing now "not knowing the circumstances would be unfair".
Which brings us around to why the WW got to this before we did: We were uncomfortable running this story as nothing but a "he said/he said" in which all the reader got was Leonard's version of Stickel's remarks and Stickel's version of his remarks. What we wanted was for someone else at the paper, preferably someone else in the room at the time, to tell us what they recalled of the exchange, so it would be clear which version of events was the correct one.
But here's why we think the entire exchange is important, beyond the obvious matter of the fact that the internment of Japanese-Americans was and is indefensible.
When the board published its pre-hearing editorial on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, we noted with some surprise (and disappointment) its rather dramatic shift in tone from their previous installments.
We can't help but wonder now if the board felt the need to ratchet down the rhetoric in the face of their publisher's "unbelievable" views, which were certain to come out sooner or later.
Since that toned-down editorial, the paper has also praised Mayor Tom Potter's pragmatism and shifted its use of its op-ed pages, publishing both a commentary on the JTTF resolution and a letter responding to an S. Renee Mitchell column, both by Potter. Prior to Stickel's outburst, they had rejected a submission on the oversight issue from Commissioner Randy Leonard, but published one in support of the paper's position by Jim Jeddeloh, who has ties to Stickel through the Citizens Crime Commission, an arm of the Portland Business Alliance.
We're not suggesting that the authors of the paper's previous and more tightly-wound editorials (whoever those authors were) share Stickel's seeming predelictions. But we are arguing the possibility that the respect for Stickel that members of the editorial board have may have led them to listen to, and be influenced by, his arguments on the issue of JTTF oversight -- arguments which arguably might have been influenced by Stickel's "unbelievable" beliefs.
In other words, notwithstanding the paper's sudden and rather dramatic shift in both tone and editorial policy: Was the board's position on oversight of the JTTF less a matter of the war on terrorism than a matter of Stickel's war on civil liberties?
Comments (3)
Sid on 13 Apr 2005
Blow me away! I guess when the DOJ calls up the O and asks them to do their bidding on such subjects as Patriot and JTTF, it's not a matter of bullying as it may be with other news media outlets. Stickel is ready and willing to steer his paper the way the DOJ wants it even if it means supporting the violation of civil liberties.
(sorry about all the hits, I was trying to get the correct link to your post on my site.)
Albert Kaufman on 14 Apr 2005
I wonder how much longer the Oregonian will stay in business. There is an interesting story today on NPR about how people are turning to blogs and away from newsprint. I certainly have - day by day I pay less and less attention to the Oregonian, especially their awful website. Perhaps they'll make some changes before it's too late, we'll see.
Jack Peek on 14 Apr 2005
internment of Japanese-Americans was and is indefensible:
Lets see 12/7/41, What happen? A few people got killed.... Bix not born yet!
9-11, ATTACK ON NYC, 3000 PEOPLE KILLED, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE ,WORLD CHANGED FOREVER, JIHAD BECOMES A FAMILIAR WORD....B!X NOT INTERESTED, NOT A SUBJECT HE CARES TO WRITE ABOUT.
Yet these same people who have sworn to rid the earth of people not like them, creates a crusade by some, that these same people who are not just like the rest of us...be given the basic rights and protection of the US constitution. We have seen the start of the end of our country, as we know it.
Basic rights??? WHO'S, THEIRS OR OURS?
B!X needs too travel to Bagdad, an tour the neighborhoods of the poor side of town and perhaps write about his rights afforded him and others who say "give me liberty or give me death" just before the AK47 is raised and his head is removed. My kid toured those neighborhoods....he suggests you don't go alone.
But take Randy with you, it would make a good video tape on AL- GEZER.
Our borders need to be closed...SOON!