Yellow Journalism?

I am totally appalled at the way the local press and tv stations are going along with promoting David John Holcraft’s attack on local officials and don’t even see, or want to see, his form of “Yellow Journalism.”
In these days of layoffs, Madoff and numerous other serious news stories, the “press” seems to use a bully’s rants to lead the news. Have you come to use “Yellow Journalism” too? Are economic times so bad for the press that you’ll stoop this low for readership? Where’s your news integrity?
He’s had his day in the sun. I didn’t see you report on the fact that the constant “badgering” of selectmen at meetings and the fear of being on the “Yellow Sign” has caused good citizens to leave positions and townspeople not to volunteer for committees. You have never written on how the sign got there in the first place, or its original approved intent.
I didn’t see the press ask why was this business given approval by the ZBA of Brookfield when over 45 people showed up at the ZBA meeting, with a vast majority against the issuing of a business permit for this site. A site that is actually the back yard of property he pays residential taxes on and not business taxes on. A site that was approved by the ZBA, but the address on the application and approval isn’t even on the tax rolls.
I didn’t see the press follow through on the requirements given to him by the ZBA, those of which are in the minutes of the approval of July 17, 2003. Look it up. And see how many items have been followed. See how many conditions are met. Then ask the questions why? How did he get this approved sign in the beginning? It was approved as a business sign. What is the name of this business he is running? What type is it?
Is his business being a bulletin board for the town? If so, look up the ordinance for billboards in the town. Even free speech has size limitations. What are his hours of operation? Can he leave items outside the building? Is the sign in conformance with the ZBA approval as far as to the conditions set forth in his approval? How long is this Special Permit approved for? Has it been re-approved?
Have you talked and interviewed the chairman and members of those who were on the board at the time the ZBA approved the application? The chairman is now the town moderator. They went against an overwhelming disapproval, why? Was it the cost of possible litigation if not approved? Ask for the records of correspondence and recommendations from legal counsel on this application. What did they say? Let’s get some journalistic answers.
Has the press asked where this free giveaway stuff comes from? Is it from out of town? If so, is it legal to bring it into town? Is it a case of one town’s trash another town’s treasure? It leaves one town as trash and arrives as useable items in another. If so, why isn’t this a recycling business? Is it because there would need to be stricter requirements? Ask questions, check the layer beneath. That’s good journalism!
Doesn’t the press have a duty to check this out and the integrity to follow through before they back up a person declaring the sanctity of the First Amendment?
Our forefathers met with tremendous hardships to be free. They had the wisdom to make freedom of speech the very First Amendment. We have good people working and even dying to defend and preserve this right. These rights aren’t meant to be used for someone’s personal agenda. Let see the press do a little work in getting to the truth. Go look it up.

Ron Couture
Brookfield