Thursday, April 5, 2007
Update and warning
On Wednesday morning a point of view which had not been presented in stories on my friend's murder was included in a front page story. That's because I was quoted, and my name printed, along with a couple of sentences from an email I wrote to the so-called journalist who's been covering the arson-murder-suicide of my friend - but without my prior knowledge or authorization.
This is what they quoted: "I have to tell you that another friend and I feel certain that she would never have agreed to ending her life like this. It is simply inconceivable to us that she would have agreed to something as horribly gruesome and violent as a gunshot suicide pact."
The good news is that the quote was accurate and what I said completely true. But imagine seeing your very own name and words from a private (you thought) email right there on the front page. I doubt it was legal but I am loathe to protest lest that show up on the front page too. (Which must be why the likes of Britney and George stay quiet when we'd expect them to speak up.)
What had happened was that a day or so after my friend was murdered and having read one too many suggestions that she was complicit in the horrible event, I wrote an email to the bylined author. She wrote back the next day to say she would take my comments into consideration and definitely let me know what developed in the investigation. She also said she might contact me for a quotation or two for a future piece. I guess that was all hogwash since a mere two days later, she simply plopped my name and words right down. So beware what you write or say . . . and, by implication, what you read.
This is what they quoted: "I have to tell you that another friend and I feel certain that she would never have agreed to ending her life like this. It is simply inconceivable to us that she would have agreed to something as horribly gruesome and violent as a gunshot suicide pact."
The good news is that the quote was accurate and what I said completely true. But imagine seeing your very own name and words from a private (you thought) email right there on the front page. I doubt it was legal but I am loathe to protest lest that show up on the front page too. (Which must be why the likes of Britney and George stay quiet when we'd expect them to speak up.)
What had happened was that a day or so after my friend was murdered and having read one too many suggestions that she was complicit in the horrible event, I wrote an email to the bylined author. She wrote back the next day to say she would take my comments into consideration and definitely let me know what developed in the investigation. She also said she might contact me for a quotation or two for a future piece. I guess that was all hogwash since a mere two days later, she simply plopped my name and words right down. So beware what you write or say . . . and, by implication, what you read.
Labels: about me, friends, reflections, writing
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