DISCUSSION: Local News Coverage (was /liberals and conservatives)

["Saundra Lund" <sslund@moscow.com>]

Title: Message

Mr. Wilson wrote:

"I wanted to commend Ted McDonough for writing a fair article for this last weekend's Daily News . . . "

 

It was an interesting article, but I have serious doubts about accuracy and credibility, which were lost for me in paragraph three:

"For some, the City Council's passage of a ban on full-frontal nudity this summer . . . "

 

Sheesh!  Moscow has had an Indecent Exposure ordinance on the books since *at least* 1982!  There could well have been a law on the books before that, but the current version was passed in March, 1982 and governs "private parts" (genitals, anal region, pubic hair).  Interestingly, that law applies to those 10 and older *and* has an exemption for "live theatrical performances."

 

2002-13 criminalizes female breasts and the "cleft of the buttocks" for both sexes once puberty begins (hmmm . . . how will that be determined for males?).  Calling 2002-13 a ban on full frontal nudity is just plain inaccurate, inflammatory, and contributes to polarization, IMHO.

 

It's currently legal in Moscow for there to be lower body nudity in Moscow during a live theatrical performance, but *no* portion of the female breast can be seen, nor can the *cleft* of the buttocks be visible.  How stupid is that?!  Gosh, I guess I didn't realize that breasts were so much more threatening to our community than genitals.

 

Anyway, since I do depend on the newspaper for local news, I was very disappointed.  I was disappointed enough that I'm seriously considering canceling my subscription.  Local news is important enough to me that I've had an annual subscription for the past several years.

 

But, I still need to know about local news.  My husband subscribes to the Spokesman-Review, but I don't think their coverage of this area is sufficient for me.

 

For those of you who subscribe to the Lewiston Morning Tribune, do you think they do a good job of covering the Moscow-Pullman area?  I'd be interested in your thoughts.  Please share them with me *offlist*.

 

Saundra Lund
Moscow, Idaho

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.
Edmund Burke