Good, Bad, and Ugly

Offensive word…

Balotelli set for Italy debut

Balotelli, who is being courted by Manchester City and will be one of only a handful of coloured players to have represented Italy, displayed his trademark single-mindedness by immediately grabbing the number nine striker jersey with Cassano taking 10.

The Italian footballer Mario Balotelli is referred to as “coloured”. He is black.

The word “coloured” is largely viewed as an archaic, even racist term, except when referring to mixed-race South Africans. It is much like calling someone a “negro”.

I’d strongly suggest you change this.

R.M.

So what if he’s white?

Twilight” sweeps MTV Awards

Sweeping high above the studio on a harness, Cohen hit an obstacle, spun down toward the audience and landed face down in the lap of Eminem, exposing his naked bottom to both the white rapper and to millions of viewers watching the awards show live on television.

I was reading the story in curiosity of what happened at the annual debacle of the MTV Movie Awards and something quite curious popped up at me.

Why was the fact that Eminem is racially white an important part of this story? Would the story have been different, or reported differently, if Eminem were of a different race?

K.D.M.

His race was not relevant to the story and should not have been mentioned: GBU Editor

Bad cropping…

There is a reuters photo of Obama circulating that includes a background picture with the “Change” banner cropped down to “Hang”.

Some people may find this quite offensive and would have a very hard time believing this was just an honest mistake. Really looks like it was done on purpose, or there is no editing staff whatsoever. Please remove it.

B.R.S.

We have deleted the photo, which was cropped for an online product by an editor who didn’t notice the unfortunate word the editing left behind. We had no possible reason to do this on purpose. GBU Editor

Proud, or really proud?

Obama’s wife joins push to court US working class  

But she has stirred controversy, such as when she said in February: “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” Critics said the comment sounded unpatriotic and suggested she had not been proud of her country before her husband’s candidacy.

Is it nomral Reuters standard to misquote important people, when the misquote amounts to slander?

Your writer left out the work REALLY from her quote “For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country”.

Leave the quote accurate, and the quote states that this is the first time she has been really proud, or extra proud, AND implies that in the past she had been just proud. How dare you!!

Tom

Several readers disputed our version of this quote. Our story is accurate. She said it both ways,  as you can see here: GBU Editor 

Another meaning…

Young Pennsylvania voters take a shine to Obama

I think a news headline about taking a “shine” to a man of color is considered in poor taste, at best.

Mark S.

Please reseach Black folklore and historical use of the term “Shine” that your use in the same sentence with Sen Obama. I think you will find it, if not inappropriate, at least a pretty odd choice of words.

Tony R. Several readers pointed this out to us. There are vast numbers of people who do not know the slang meaning of the word: “Disparaging and offensive. A black person.”

When our editors became aware of it, the headline was changed: GBU Editor

Mentioning race…

Detroit’s Democratic mayor indicted in sex scandal  

The controversy surrounding the black politician once seen as a rising star in his party has deadlocked city government and become a distraction to the Democratic Party as it struggles with the issue of how to handle Michigan delegates still being contested by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. 

Please help me understand the relevance of stating that he is a “black politician.” Why did the writer feel the mayor’s race needed to be used to describe him and what does his race have to do with the charges that he is facing? I have yet to hear of Eliot Spitzer being described as the white politician when anything is written or said about the sex scandal he was involved in.I count on Reuters for unbiased, factual reporting of the news. Can I no longer expect this without racial undertones such as this being thrown in as well?

Kate

His race has absolutely nothing to do with what is being said about him. If he had been a white politician in the same exact situation would this reporter have said, “the white politician…”? Sometimes race is relevant to a story. It seems discriminatory to note it when there is no relevance. It contributes to the perception that black people are black people while white people are people. It also suggests that his race had something to do with his alleged transgressions. 

Craig

A number of readers raised this point. The story should have made clear from the start why his race was mentioned.  Subsequent updates included this elaboration: “I’m deeply disappointed in the prosecutor’s decision,” said Kilpatrick, who earlier compared his critics to a “lynch mob” and said he had been subjected to racial epithets since the scandal broke. GBU Editor