You know, those guys and ladies over at the Windsor Star are such phonies!
For those of you not from the Windsor Essex region, you may not understand just how much the Windsor Star folks think they can make, or drive public policy. All of this would not bother me if they would run for public office, and be subjected to a little scrutiny. But oh no! They just sit in their offices, and pretend to cover the news, when in fact they take great effort to drive the news.
News media, even the Windsor Star has a right to promote an opinion. That is why there are editorials and an editorial page. On top of this, they have opinion writers, who are given great space and privilege. In the case of the Windsor Star they have at least two, Anne Jarvis and Chris Vander Doelen. So far so good. Oh, I forgot, they even have Lazarus, I mean Gord Henderson who writes on occasion.
However the Windsor Star goes seriously off base, on a regular basis, as they, in my opinion very often send out reporters, not to do news stories, but write stuff to support editorial opinion. And then just by coincidence they give these stories lot's of very high profile space and big headlines.
A classic example, is the pounding the Windsor Star, is giving City of Windsor employees who are on strike. The Windsor Star position is so extreme that even Councillor Allan Halberstadt has read the tea leaves and strongly opposes the strikers.
I warned CUPE workers in a previous post, that circumstances were not on their side.
The Windsor Star reporting, is like we have never had a strike in Windsor before!!! Every misstep by the Union is highlighted and magnified beyond it's true relevance. The recent coverage given to the picketing in front of or near the home of Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis, the disruption at a recent city council meeting, and some incident alleging a CUPE worker dumping garbage in a park during a fit of rage (all very stupid stunts mind you) is so overblown, that it is ridiculous. Don't kid yourself, all of this is to demonize the strikers, Windsor Star style, and to fortify the weak backbones, or politically scare some councillors, who just may not agree with all that is going on.
So, as you can see, it's just not enough to take an editorial position, which is their right and duty. No they go way beyond that!! But what really bugs me is they pretend that gosh! all this just kind of happens. The Windsor Star folks take great exception to anyone suggesting this, and other such examples, is an orchestrated campaign!
Like I have said many times before, management and a few others decide these tactics at their morning meetings. Hey, all of this is ok with me, but in the interest of Fair Play, be up front about it. We know your on a campaign to discredit the strikers, just admit it. Oh, and by the way, admit to some of the damage you are doing as well.
