Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman sure knows how to spark a newsroom debate.
And not about whether too much money was spent on Big League Dreams or whether the recall movement will go anywhere.
No, the debate was on what to do with the mayor’s “colorful” language.
When Tribune reporter Beth Lucas and photographer Ralph Freso found themselves witnessing an encounter between Berman and recall leader Fred Phillis, they got quite an earful.
This is what our story reported Berman said to Phillis: “You don’t have the (guts to run against me). You’re a rotten piece of (expletive) like you’ve always been,” Berman said to Phillis.
So how do we report on that earful, involving a vulgarism and slang term for parts of the male anatomy?
Carefully, that’s how, because readers often call us to task if we publish a photo or words that readers don’t want their children to see. “You are a family newspaper. We don’t want to see those words in print,” they tell us.
But what about online? The unwritten rules seem to be different, but maybe they shouldn’t be. The family friendly version or the unsantized truth?
What do you think?
I think since you are quoting someone, that you should let it fly. Anyone who is online reading this stuff, obviously would not be a child..and I seriously doubt even if a teen or something is online reading, its nothing worse than what they hear in school everday by their peers. My son who is six and my other son who is 18 both of which are still in school, come home nearly every day with some new colorful term being used in school. Just last week I had to explain to my six year old what a “douche bag” is. Or try to. This from overhearing another child in kindergarten calling someone this. So spare me…at least online, you should quote people accurately, becasue I feel that part of the relevance of the story is hearing exactly what type of language our elected officials are using on their constituents. It shows character or lack thereof.
I don’t think we need to know the exact words in order to understand the news story. I just wonder if this is newsworthy in the first place.
Grow Up Ripley! One adult male holds up a sign accusing the second adult male of being “corrupt”, And the second guy cusses at him? No children present? I need to get a seat next to you next sunday at the First Self Rightious Church of Mesa. What do you think mayors aren’t allowed to get offended when some lunatic holds up a sign calling him dishonest. You lack of objectivitiy on matters regarding Mayor Berman border on dishonesty. Things like this diminish the prestige of the already weak print media. If you don’t like Mayor Berman, why don’t you just say so and get over with it.. The fact is no one respects you or the Tribune enough to vote Berman out of office based on your opinion
Of course it’s newsworthy, since it goes to the heart of how Mayor Berman thinks and reacts in public situations. It’s nice to see that the news media is finally starting to see this character for what he truly is (a jerk), and that he has no place in public life.
Mayor Berman long ago forgot that he’s supposed to be working for the people, not the housing developer’s (that supplied him with his $36,000 campaign war chest) or large businesses (which gave him a free truck after he helped them get a $60 million tax incentive package).
Put a disclaimer in front of the 10PM newscast, or on top of the newspaper story, but Mayor Berman’s words should be repeated, word for word, so everyone can see how he reacts when confronted with an issue he doesn’t like.
Anything less smacks of news censorship, which is far more dangerous than the risk of a few kids hearing (or reading) his remarks after hours.
Mr. Ripley -
Discretion is a must - we can determine what he said without actually hearing what was said or saying it. I’d think better if you and your fine paper didn’t stoop to Mayor Berman’s level to prove a point. Expletives can most certainly be left out. However, if you wanted to supply a link where the reader could listen to the exchange - that would be acceptable. That way we have a choice and you don’t have to repeat what he says.
On a related note, I believe Mayor Berman could throttle his temper somewhat and prove to us he’s a capable leader with a even keel. On second thought, maybe he can’t. I’ve lost respect for him.
Part three ………… who would you consider to be the Mayors replacement?
CD- you aren’t the same CD that Mayor Beman defeated in his last two elections are you? We have all seen Mayor Beman every Tuesday night, sometimes in very stressful situations facing people who are sometimes clearly deranged (not like Fred Phyllis, certifiable) and he is always calm and professional. The fact he got angry becuase some second rate TV Reporter got in his face and accused him of dishonesty tells me he’s a real guy, not some plastic politically correct wimp. Your facts are wrong as well. The Mayor didn’t get a free truck, the town of Gilbert got a free truck. Our mayor like most mayors get a city vehicle so he didn’t get anything he wasn’t going get anyway. The sixy million dollars is the max but not a guranteed amount of money to go to auto mall developer. Each individual dealership caps at $2.5 million and that is only if they bring in $5 million in sales tax. If you have to lie about the mayor to have something negative to say about him it supports the general consensus that Berman is the most successful mayor in Arizona.
Huh, “gotyournumber” sure seems overly emotional (and “underly” logical) in thier little rant against you here, Mr. Ripley. I guess this person has no grasp on the concept that other people might possibly have higher moral standards than they do.
You, in contrast, at least recognize that without trying to denigrate it by characterizing such readers as being “prudish” or any other such gratuitously offensive label. You did the right thing. Thanks.
I have lived in Gilbert for the last 7.5 years and haven’t until now really heard so much bickering over one political figure. So the Mayor says it like it is….I guess in todays world we need to sugar coat things and be nice to a person who comes after the Mayor with the “Corruption” label.
What the real issue is here (on this particular matter) is how naive most everyone is with politics.
If you’re offended on the Mayor’s choice of words used towards a person who personally attacks, I too would not have been as nice.
Move out one politician and another one in and you get the same results but maybe with a nice choice of words. Deal with what you have folks.
“Colorful Language” the term that was used for the editorial is not the proper term. Maybe we should “move on” from this pettiness of language used issue and concern ourselves with the bigger picture. If Mr. Phyllis if offended by the language used towards him….He needs to grow up and get lost so the residents of Gilbert don’t have to waste money on his stupid idea of a recall election 6 month prior to election. How wasteful is that?
Unbridled truth, almost always. Sensitivity should be reserved for very few cases.
Apparently Tom isn’t familiar with Fred Phyliss’s record in Mesa and Gilbert. The man has started six referendums in Gilbert in the last year, these cost US about $100,000 each. He stopped the Cardinal Stadium in Mesa, The Mesa Convention Center, Mesa Porperty tax etc. He laundered money for an unknown group opposing the Mesa Riverview Project. The man is a public cancer, but you are offended that the mayor uses bad language some time, Yeah you got your priorites straight. Berman is real, direct and you don’t have to wonder what he is thinking, ask Fred Phillis can attest. Do you really want some mealy mouthed wimp as mayor? Incidently there are zero recorded incidents of Mayor Berman using “inappropriate” language anywhere except to Fred Phyllis. Any chance Ripley Tom are overacting a little? I’ve seen the mayor with our kids and many events, his behavior is always professional. The fact is he is a real man and if you pick a fight with him, be prepared for a fight. If you are really this self rightious you must have been raised in a catholic girls school.
“The fact is he (Berman) is a real man…” - putuporshutup
I guess we now know that “putuporshutup” is Mayor Berman’s date, maybe the woman he got to run (with no prior gov’t experience) during the last election.
Perhaps it’s really true, some women (like Tammy and Hillary, and now Terri) stand by their man no matter what. Sad, truly sad.
Other than the fact the Mayor has a pair, and Will doesn’t, the biggest difference between him and the rest of you losers, is everything he does, he does in public, in his own name. In case you haven’t noticed but Arizona’s real news paper, the Arizona Republic has a completely different take on all of this. I have noticed that no one has had the guts to stand up and agree to run against the mayor in the recall election. If he is so bad he should be real easy to beat, unless you have something in your back ground you don’t want to press to dig up and write about.