Chicago writer should get fired for this article

SentToStud · #1 07-19-2006, 01:21 PM

Domesticated animals exist to serve and entertain man. No other reason. In the course of serving and entertaining, bad things happen. It's not pleasant at times but the value question is whether or not it is worth it. Is it worth breeding beluga whales for the purpose of displaying them at Shedd Aquarium? Or putting penguins on display in a giant windowed freezer at Lincoln PArk Zoo ? Who's to say.

kentuckyrosesinmay · #2 07-19-2006, 01:33 PM

THE ARTICLE WAS BAD...IT WAS WAY TO HARSH. This guy makes me sick. I know a lot about journalism and I think that he just clashed with some major rules of it. For one thing, he acted as if EVERYONE has their horses sent off to the slaughterhouse when their horses break down on the track. That is far from the reality of the situation. He also acts like no one cares about these animals and that is also far from the truth. He didn't have to compare Barbaro to a sandwich because they are doing everything to save that horse and will not send him to the slaughterhouse if he dies. The reason that I know this is because I know how New Bolton disposes of the bodies. If they don't dispose of the body at the Center, the Jacksons will have him buried. Horses die all the time off and on the track. People need to realize that. We've had two young horses euthanized at my stable in the past year...one was from a broken bone and the other was from colic. They get hurt, they get sick, and they die...just like people. Just because they die on the track doesn't mean that they might have not died running in the pasture a year down the road.

Do we have some problems in the industry...yes. Are we trying to do something about it...yes. Should the situation at Arlington be addressed and acknowledged by the public...yes. Should it be addressed in the manner that this journalist did it...absolutely not. I hate direct attacks on horse racing. I can't stand it because most of the time people attacking it know absolutely nothing about it. Horses have been around for centuries and have been breaking down for centuries...out in the pastures, in the stall, in the trailer, on the tracks...etc. If these people don't like it then don't become a part of it. I am an animal activist too and a member of the ASPCA, but I love horse racing. While their are cases of individual cruelty in the sport, their are also cases of love and caring...like with Barbaro...I can't believe this guy compared him to a sandwich. I swear, I will always defend horse racing until my last breath on this earth.

He was directly and maliciously attacking horse racing. Something has made him super sore with the sport. He said where are the Peta members. Really and truely this will be an excellent article for me to analyze because I could completely tear it apart because of my knowledge on this subject. I think I'll do it for the fun of it and post the results of my work sometime tomorrow. He was way to harsh...way.

I will also be e-mailing him and letting him know what he did wrong, and my opinions on this dreadful article. He could have stated his point a lot better than he did. That was sick and disgusting, and most importantly, not completely true.

Gander · #3 07-19-2006, 01:38 PM

He doesnt make me nearly as sick as some of the criminals involved in this sport and within the slaughter houses. Hes just a writer expressing his opinion. Whether you like it or not, most if not all of this article is true.

kentuckyrosesinmay · #4 07-19-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

He doesnt make me nearly as sick as some of the criminals involved in this sport and within the slaughter houses. Hes just a writer expressing his opinion. Whether you like it or not, most if not all of this article is true.

Ok...so Barbaro is close to being a sandwich.

2MinsToPost · #5 07-19-2006, 02:13 PM

One thing we, as readers, need always remember is that there is a difference between say an AP story and a guy or gals opinion piece. It was the way he came across in this piece, thats all that bugs me. But hey, he has that right. Sounds like he has his facts straight too. I enjoy a piece like that cause it either does one of two things too me usually - I laugh or I get all fired up. Its good for the blood circulation and brain cells either way and gets people talking, the ones in favor, the ones against or the fence line folks. Ultimately, he is responsible mostly for his words and the paper is as well.

Danzig · #6 07-19-2006, 04:14 PM

an in your face article for sure--but he got what he intended to get, attention. yeah, some of what is in there is inflammatory, and may be in poor taste....but, in the end, he's right about a lot of it. it's a sickening article, about a subject most of us try to ignore, the fact that these horses we love are putting their health and life on the line for us.

everyone involved in the sport should be putting the horses wellbeing at the top of their list of priorities. problem is, there aren't too many willing to do that.

PeteMugg · #7 07-19-2006, 04:28 PM

A shocking article might have been in order, but this seems over the top. Stretching the truth will only make the real facts seem less credible.

irishtrekker · #8 07-19-2006, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2MinsToPost

One thing we, as readers, need always remember is that there is a difference between say an AP story and a guy or gals opinion piece. It was the way he came across in this piece, thats all that bugs me. But hey, he has that right. Sounds like he has his facts straight too. I enjoy a piece like that cause it either does one of two things too me usually - I laugh or I get all fired up. Its good for the blood circulation and brain cells either way and gets people talking, the ones in favor, the ones against or the fence line folks. Ultimately, he is responsible mostly for his words and the paper is as well.

Yeah, this is an opinion piece, not a news article -- so he has the right to be as inflammatory as he wants to be. When I used to freelance, I was actually told to make my pieces a little more knee-jerk because I was reasoning with people when I should have just pushed their buttons (very annoying, and thankfully not the way all newpapers run their ships). However, the rules of journalism are pretty different for opinion pieces and for news stories...so if his writing itself was over the top, he's entirely entitled to portray it however he sees it. If he actually lied, that's different.

sumitas · #9 07-19-2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

He doesnt make me nearly as sick as some of the criminals involved in this sport and within the slaughter houses. Hes just a writer expressing his opinion. Whether you like it or not, most if not all of this article is true.

i'm with ya bro

Scurlogue Champ · #10 07-19-2006, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

THE ARTICLE WAS BAD...IT WAS WAY TO HARSH. This guy makes me sick. I know a lot about journalism and I think that he just clashed with some major rules of it. For one thing, he acted as if EVERYONE has their horses sent off to the slaughterhouse when their horses break down on the track. That is far from the reality of the situation. He also acts like no one cares about these animals and that is also far from the truth. He didn't have to compare Barbaro to a sandwich because they are doing everything to save that horse and will not send him to the slaughterhouse if he dies. The reason that I know this is because I know how New Bolton disposes of the bodies. If they don't dispose of the body at the Center, the Jacksons will have him buried. Horses die all the time off and on the track. People need to realize that. We've had two young horses euthanized at my stable in the past year...one was from a broken bone and the other was from colic. They get hurt, they get sick, and they die...just like people. Just because they die on the track doesn't mean that they might have not died running in the pasture a year down the road.

Do we have some problems in the industry...yes. Are we trying to do something about it...yes. Should the situation at Arlington be addressed and acknowledged by the public...yes. Should it be addressed in the manner that this journalist did it...absolutely not. I hate direct attacks on horse racing. I can't stand it because most of the time people attacking it know absolutely nothing about it. Horses have been around for centuries and have been breaking down for centuries...out in the pastures, in the stall, in the trailer, on the tracks...etc. If these people don't like it then don't become a part of it. I am an animal activist too and a member of the ASPCA, but I love horse racing. While their are cases of individual cruelty in the sport, their are also cases of love and caring...like with Barbaro...I can't believe this guy compared him to a sandwich. I swear, I will always defend horse racing until my last breath on this earth.

He was directly and maliciously attacking horse racing. Something has made him super sore with the sport. He said where are the Peta members. Really and truely this will be an excellent article for me to analyze because I could completely tear it apart because of my knowledge on this subject. I think I'll do it for the fun of it and post the results of my work sometime tomorrow. He was way to harsh...way.

I will also be e-mailing him and letting him know what he did wrong, and my opinions on this dreadful article. He could have stated his point a lot better than he did. That was sick and disgusting, and most importantly, not completely true.

If you do "tear it apart," please use spell-check. Or else you will lose his attention in the first sentence as you did mine.

kentuckyrosesinmay · #11 07-20-2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moodwalker

If you do "tear it apart," please use spell-check. Or else you will lose his attention in the first sentence as you did mine.

Please tell me what I misspelled besides truly, which was a typo. I'm assuming that you meant grammar check. I know I used a lot of sentence fragments, but that is just because this is a message board. I am quite a good writer, and have a lot of awards to prove it.

I don't know what you have against me, but you sure like to attack me a lot, even when I am right. Instead of attacking me, why don't you tell me exactly what was wrong with his article using fallacies and everything. Don't just attack people or you won't have any respect. Come on, let's hear your opinion. Contribute something worthwhile. Or is that too hard for you to do since it requires thinking?

Gander · #12 07-20-2006, 09:52 AM

There is a major problem going on in our sport, specifically at Arlington. I dont know why what he wrote is so bad. Sure he was pretty over the top but its very eye catching and brings awareness to something that very much needs a quick fix or popularity in our sport will continue to plummet quicker than the Kansas City Royals.

It may not be fair or tactful to use Barbaro's name but hes been getting more attention than any other single story in horse racing since Butterface broke her maiden.

"Lighten up Francis"
Bill Murray, Stripes

kentuckyrosesinmay · #13 07-20-2006, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

There is a major problem going on in our sport, specifically at Arlington. I dont know why what he wrote is so bad. Sure he was pretty over the top but its very eye catching and brings awareness to something that very much needs a quick fix or popularity in our sport will continue to plummet quicker than the Kansas City Royals.

It may not be fair or tactful to use Barbaro's name but hes been getting more attention than any other single story in horse racing since Butterface broke her maiden.

"Lighten up Francis"
Bill Murray, Stripes

The article was so bad because it was poorly written and some of the facts were distorted or completely not true as prudery and myself pointed out. You can't have a good argumentative article with the facts not being dead on. In this case, some of his facts were way off. The whole point is that he could have written the article a lot better than he did. He could have done it correctly, and still stirred people's emotions. The fact is that he did it very poorly. While some of the things he wrote were true and needed to be addressed, others were completely the opposite. In my opinion, for an article to be considered a good read, the facts have to be 100% true. This article shows that the writer let his own emotions get too much in the way of his writing.

Ok, so the Jacksons are going to send Barbaro to the slaughterhouse to become a sandwich. Yep, that is completely true.

dr. fager · #14 07-20-2006, 09:58 AM

[quote=kentuckyrosesinmay] I am quite a good writer, and have a lot of awards to prove it.
QUOTE]

Statements like this and gloating how it was Alex Solis's fault he broke his back and how you could have saved the horse have a lot to do with it. You're nice and knowledgeable...but also a bit arrogant.

As for the article...I'm appalled as anyone...but free speech is one of the reasons this country is the greatest place to live in the world, the author has every right to say whatever he wishes, and you have every right to respond. That's America...love it or leave it.

kentuckyrosesinmay · #15 07-20-2006, 10:03 AM

[quote=dr.fager]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

I am quite a good writer, and have a lot of awards to prove it.
QUOTE]

Statements like this and gloating how it was Alex Solis's fault he broke his back and how you could have saved the horse have a lot to do with it. You're nice and knowledgeable...but also a bit arrogant.

As for the article...I'm appalled as anyone...but free speech is one of the reasons this country is the greatest place to live in the world, the author has every right to say whatever he wishes, and you have every right to respond. That's America...love it or leave it.

I'm confident, and try not to be arrogant. I'm sorry, and I really do not try to come off as that way. I am just completely aware of my strengths and my weaknesses. Writing and riding happen to be my two strongest strengths. I am completely confident in my abilities in both of these areas. If I wasn't, I would never make it in either one. Also, because this is a message board, none of us has a clue what the others are particularly good at. I have no problem with other people posting their resumes. In fact, I like it because it allows me to distinguish between the ones who really know what they are talking about and the ones who don't.

Besides, I was personally attacked by a guy who just loves to attack me for some reason. I don't know what I ever did to him.

Gander · #16 07-20-2006, 10:07 AM

I like your confidence and can tell you have some talent as a writer, as do I.
Can you research the career of Butterface and write me in 100-200 words, why it has been so important to horse racing?

Thanks in advance.

dr. fager · #17 07-20-2006, 10:09 AM

[quote=kentuckyrosesinmay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.fager

I'm confident, and try not to be arrogant. I'm sorry, and I really do not try to come off as that way. I am just completely aware of my strengths and my weaknesses. Writing and riding happen to be my two strongest strengths. I am completely confident in my abilities in both of these areas. If I wasn't, I would never make it in either one. Also, because this is a message board, none of us has a clue what the others are particularly good at. I have no problem with other people posting their resumes. In fact, I like it because it allows me to distinguish between the ones who really know what they are talking about and the ones who don't.

Besides, I was personally attacked by a guy who just loves to attack me for some reason. I don't know what I ever did to him.

I wasn't being malicious, kyroses...honestly. sorry if it came off that way.