Angry about the “sickening” deer photos
Managing editor Randy Parker has already written an excellent post about how we handle reader complaints and concerns about all of the dead-deer photos that we publish in the York Daily Record/Sunday News.
As Parker states:
“[I]n other parts of the paper, we will run scores and scores of photos of hunters posing with their prey. These will be men, women and children and each will be glowing with pride and excitement from the hunt.”
But that doesn’t stop the angry letters from flowing in. Here’s an anonymous letter I received recently. It’s a shame there was no name or contact information, because then we can’t run the letter in print or contact the writer.
Anyway, the letter states:
Chris Otto,
How considerate of you not to publish GORE! It’s sickening to see how you think it’s news worthy to publish pictures of dead animals and with kids nonetheless! Society’s sick enough without having to “glorify” the killing of innocent animals who don’t stand a chance against a gun! Deer overpopulation can be a problem, but so is human overpopulation! There’s no need for the paper to publish these photos.
But for every angry letter that I receive I get much thanks for the scrapbook-worthy photos of deer harvests that we do publish in the Daily Record/Sunday News. I know many look forward to having their memorable moment captured for all to share.
Taped to my desk, I keep this simple but important note that a reader sent to me years ago…
If anything, I don’t think we have enough hunting and outdoors coverage in the York Daily Record/Sunday News.