September 3, 2006
First, thank you for the eclectic coverage Newspaper Tree provides on a regular basis. Not quite magazine, not quite newspaper, I appreciate the Tree's avant garde flair.
A university is a valuable asset to a community like El Paso, seeking to establish and define itself. The presence of UTEP provides a steady educational resource for the young, radiates professional and academic expertise, and should be a constant in El Paso's development equation.
Ms. Luciano's story provided great insight into the methods of UTEP's administration. UTEP's leadership has been strangely relaxed in the forum of public opinion about El Paso's evolution as a community. Ms. Luciano points us to one example of how the university administration's resources are put to work. Her anecdote describes a university administration that silences dissent and discourages students from participating in their university and their community, wholly antithetical to what university leaders should do.
Kudos to the students for their activism, determination, and sense of community. Props also go out to the Faculty Senate. The support the Senate provided to the students is the type of solidarity and informed support that needs to be more prevalent in El Paso if my hometown is to mature.
Thanks for the story, Ms. Luciano, and thanks to the Tree for letting the story run.
Arturo Ernesto Ballesteros
Dallas, Texas
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Nathan's take on journalistic ethics applies equally to all members of the journalistic profession--from reporters all the way up to publishers. I believe it is essential that you not separate your position as publisher from other editorial positions at the NPT, particularly if as Nathan says, you do work intimately on story and source selection.
I gather what she is saying is that she and readers expect you to fulfill the role that you have voluntarily chosen--a journalist--and fulfill that role as diligently as every other journalist is expected to.
Even the least perception by readers and viewers that a journalist has a conflict of interest (especially when it comes to politics and business) can mean professional suicide. Remember the recent case of Dan Rather and the bogus National Guard documents.
It similarly appears that Nathan appears to have YOU and NPT's best interests in mind; but once again, ethical choices such as this one are ultimately left up to you.
Up to this point, I as a journalist, have had only respect and admiration for the NPT.
However, if in the future, if I detect the slightest breach of journalistic ethical behavior on the part of the publisher, or any of its staff, I would not hesitate to shout it from the rooftops.
Cordially,
Thomas E. Ruggiero, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Communication Department
University of Texas at El Paso
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I really enjoyed this edition of your newspaper. I was intrigued with the article from the woman questioning your ethics and your ability to remain objective because of your membership in the Paso del Norte Group. I wonder if she wrote and had published by El Paso Inc. and the El Paso Times the same article since they are fellow members of the PDN Group? The mere fact that you published her slanted piece of journalism points in your favor. I wasn't much impressed by her article about Byrd and Duarte. If she was trying for pathos by stating that all of the men were crying (imagine two old men hugging and crying), this is more comedic than tragic.
Love Sito's interview with Kinky; maybe I'll start taking Kinky more seriously. All in all a great edition, one of your better efforts.
Tony Amador
El Paso
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Oh come on now. Let's get real. Ethics in the media? Ethics in city government? Quick. Someone has partaken of the purple Kool-aid again. It’s for the children you know. Oh how are we going to save the children? Won't someone think of the children? Ethics? The barrier to good government. The barrier to reporting the news instead of creating the news.
Ahhh, ethics. The greatest stumbling block to increasing the bottom line and the paycheck (both above and below the table).
Lisa Turner
El Paso
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This past issue of NPT was the most disturbing for me as an avid subscriber, reader and promoter of this great newspaper. The other “papers” available in El Paso I always read keeping in mind the “owner” and the vested interest, the profit motive of the publication with much skepticism if not outright cynicism.
I consider the Byrd’s, all the “pajaros” as I affectionately refer to them good and close friends. I also consider David Romo a good friend and sympathize with his passion and love of historical El Paso. I have promoted the latter’s book and bought and promoted many of the wonderful publications of Cinco Puntos Press. I also admire Debbie Nathan, although I do not know her personally. Now I too am torn between the opposing views on the Downtown Development Plan.
When I was a university student becoming more politically sophisticated this proposed “modernization” of El Paso would have been simply urban removal. A poorly disguised ploy to forcefully but legally remove people from old barrios because the property values had been depressed enough for the developers to reap a big profit from buying it up and building new business offices or shopping centers (or baseball parks like Dodger Stadium) and cleaning up the streets and just plain old “cleaning up.” Return on investment is simply a euphemism for corporate greed, but very American.
Now Debbie Nathan exposes, and I admire and respect the fact that NPT published the article about Vanessa Johnson’s ethical conflict of interest. Although I don’t play golf, it is almost impossible not to know someone who does. Would it shock anybody to know that many business deals and other decisions are made while playing golf? It is clear to me that NPT is tainted by Ms Johnson’s association with PDNG. Is she really only an objective observer at those meetings, silently only taking notes, but sworn to never divulge them? Maybe all I can do is read it with the same cynicism as the other local papers. But I have absolutely no doubt that the NPT publisher is in ethical conundrum.
Roberto Perezdiaz
El Paso
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I am currently living in San Antonio but as an El Pasoan I love to follow stories from home. Your piece on the Cinco Puntos publisher and his "Love in the Time of Redevelopment" really put me off, as both the interviewer and interviewee take themselves so seriously and importantly. Above us all. But with "love." Isn't that exactly what the b***s*** is with that redevelopment project? While the people in Segundo without the money or political power (the same thing) don't get to control what it is they want for themselves? While these "better developed" people can come in, sprinkle in a Spanish word, and act make it like they know so much and care. From the heart though, because they care. All the way to the bank! Making this man out like he's some high biological or literary patron to Chicanos. Get real.
Cuidense locos!
Sin fin,
Raul Garcia
San Antonio
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Doubts about Alternative Energy
You could seek a grant to build a solar power station such as the ones the French have developed. It would work out east of El Paso in the salt flats. Also, out east of town along the mountain ridge you could built wind farms to generate power. There are two companies considering doing that in Dallas and Chicago. But the problem is water, transmission lines, and other concerns. It is being done along the 1-10 corridor and on U.S. 180 leading up to the Guadalupe range. However, you have to have money, and the energy lobby in Texas is such that it will always favor big oil. Alternative fuels will only work as long as it benefits society on the whole. Scare tactics will not work on baby boomers due to their dislike for the greens.
Robert Clark
El Paso
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I could say what a great and wonderful person Steve was, although I think you already know that. I had known him since July of 1964. We had been friends for that long. I use to talk to him every week. I also used to do reports on the top music here in Chicago. He would put my reports on the air in the 70's. I was known as Laura from Chicago. I never gave a last name so I could keep my family anonymous. I do know that he enjoyed doing all those shows as much as people enjoyed listening to them. He really cared about his audience. He once told me he took an hour and a half to get an old song from a 45 rpm and took all the scratches and pops out of the record so it would sound good, all this for one listener. He, indeed, was a friend of James Brown, and got Mr. Brown's autograph for me when Mr. Brown was in town. I knew him quite well, as we talked every week by phone. In recent months, he was in poor physical and mental health. I knew he was quite ill. I did manage to make him laugh when I told him that I read on line that someone had said that his little doggie, Charma, is the only dog with a human for a pet. When you come right down to it, that was quite true. Steve lived for that little dachshund. Please know that Charma is in good hands with one of Steve's friends. I've been pretty upset since I heard this news about Steve, and it just adds to a depression I've had the last three and one half years. No one hires people over 50 around where I live. I wish I could be there for the services, but can't afford it. My heart and mind will be with all of you as I love the people of El Paso, also. It's going to take me a long time to recover from this news, but I have found that time heals things considerably. Just know that even though Steve is not here on earth, he's still with us in our hearts. May God watch over Steve, and may He watch over Steve's family and friends and all of his listeners.
Laura Whitworth
Chicago
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Downtown Plan Politics in Lyrics
It came as no surprise that in July the city council voted 5-3 to ignore the many voices who spoke out against the downtown plan, and voted again for eminent domain abuse. For those who didn't attend the community meetings, I'll try to summarize the various comments made against the downtown plan. And since this is a self-proclaimed "progressive" city council, I'll to try to present these comments in a different, progressive sort of way, through the lyrics of folk music songwriters.
From the song entitled Pretty Boy Floyd: "Some will rob you with a six-gun and some with a fountain pen."
From Bob Dylan: "Steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king."
Also from Dylan: "These people that you mention, yes I know them, they're quite lame; I had to rearrange their faces, and give them all another name."
From Kinky Friedman: "I'll give you all of the dreams you can use, before all hell breaks loose."
From Leonard Cohen: "Everybody knows that the deal is rotten."
From Chuck Brodsky: "I can tell with every handshake whose lying through their skin."
From Townes Van Zandt: "If you want good friends, it's gonna cost you."
And finally the lyric which probably best captures the essence of the downtown plan. From Loudon Wainwright: "It's OK to steal, ‘cause it's so nice to share."
I believe it was Tom Paxton who once said that politicians give him so much material that he'll never run out of ideas for songs. Between the toll roads, the downtown plan, and other schemes that will be promoted by special interests groups and this city council, expect El Pasoans to be burdened with more song ideas that will further divide the city, and increase the distrust of local government.
Marvin Rosenbaum
El Paso
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