BRATTLEBORO — I was seriously shocked and saddened by the cover of the Voices section this week.
Were you aware that Jessica Mack's rant about a local business had been debated and responded to on Facebook over a three-to-four-day period? And that the signs were put up by an employee, not the owners, and were taken down immediately once the owners realized people felt they were in bad taste?
Also, the signs had nothing to do with homelessness and everything to do with local businesses fed up with being on the front lines of the opioid epidemic in this town.
All that was revealed on Facebook; did you see it?
I feel highlighting a local business' simple mistake that they quickly remedied was irresponsible and now could maybe even put hardworking people who are cornerstones of the town out of business. Did anyone call them to ask about the signs?
Just because someone submits a opinion piece doesn't mean some clear journalistic principles should not apply - like balance and also veracity, especially when you are balancing people who are invested and work hard everyday to buttress this town with the raving voice of a clearly unhappy gal jumping to conclusions and reveling in stirring up a mob mentality against - yes - Muslim immigrants who might have different cultural ideas about dark humor.
I got that off my chest, but unfortunately the papers will be around for a week rubbing those stupid signs in everyone's faces far longer than the couple of hours they were unfortunately up.