In today's Daily Press there was an article titled "Lifestyles Collide in Wonder Valley" an article blatantly blasting the off-roading community. Besides my numerous issues with its incredibly biased statements regarding those who are leading the fight for land-use issues, I was infuriated by a picture used on the second page of the article. (it is not online, but I will post pictures in a little bit). the picture is of a very good friend of mine's rig, that was taken during New Years weekend, as we were packing up camp at Cougar Buttes. The caption is "Wide Open: The open desert in Wonder Valley with its rocks, trails and sand lures legal and illegal off-road riders, disturbing local residents with noise and vandalism."
this infuriates me for several reasons, the largest being that they are attacking the off-roading community as a whole, using a picture from a perfectly legal area (one of the few left to us), that my friend who is in the picture, and the rest of our group, work to make sure is kept clean. irresponsible journalism like this is just ridiculous, especially with a subject to important to me.
I am outraged. as is Jake. Since the article was written by David Kelly, a writer for the LA times (article originally appeared there), and using the picture was not his doing, I don't plan on contacting him. I believe we will be contacting the page editor, who was Amber Gillies. my whole family will be writing letters asking for a retraction, correction, and apology to my friend. I was hoping the rest of the supporters of Johnson Valley and Lucerne Valley would be willing to join us in our letter-writing.
here is her contact info: 951-6263 or amb@link.freedom.com, or by mail,
P.O. Box 1389
Victorville, CA 92393-1389

here is the original article from the LA times website:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-outthere5-2010jan05,0,4658814.story

i don't see the picture of jake's rig on the on-line version :confused:

I was infuriated by a picture used on the second page of the article. (it is not online, but I will post pictures in a little bit). the picture is of a very good friend of mine's rig, that was taken during New Years weekend, as we were packing up camp at Cougar Buttes.

i don't see the picture of jake's rig on the on-line version :confused:

Read much :homer:

Read much :homer:
nope. :goofball:

It was my friend George's rig, not Jake's.... If it was Jake's I would have been livid... not merely furious :laughing: haha.
After a few phone calls the editor said they would print a retraction/correction :D

yay for them doing the right thing :)

I think the best approach to combat blatant prejudiced journalism is to realize, it happens and we can't stop it. Now don't take that wrong. We have to fight back; but if the dip-wads that hate us have the power of the pen, they will print it and slant it their way.

So...our recourse is to fight back with the pen -- and of course, our continued efforts at responsible recreation, packing out our trash, obeying the rules and staying where we're supposed to be.

Letters to the editor (rebuttals) are a great idea -- as well as publishing them on some local website even if the editor does not publish them. Letters should be factual; to the point; with as much high ground as you can manage; showing our good side and rebutting the bad press.

I write a lot about letter writing on my webiste. Use this info if it helps:
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/letters.htm
Del