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August 14, 2002
Saratoga, California Since 1955 |
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Speak Out
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DeCinzo cartoon was disgusting
I'm a reader who generally enjoys the
Saratoga News, but your DeCinzo cartoon this
week was way out of line—in fact,
disgusting! So out of character for a usually
upbeat local newspaper to depict priests of
any religion in such an insensitive, shabby
manner! It's bad enough when the cartoonist
thinks it's humorous, but when your editors
endorse and publish it, that action reduces
your paper to that of the cheapest tabloid.
I am not Catholic but find the efforts of the
church and their laity to fix the problem
heroic. This situation needs healing, not
ridicule!
—Gay Alexander, Saratoga
Cartoon makes paper seem low-class, crass
We are writing to you to express our concern
about the DeCinzo "cartoon" in the Saratoga
News on July 31. When we say "cartoon" we
expect something humorous, and this one was
far from humorous.
We are Catholics and long-term members of
Sacred Heart Parish here in Saratoga, and
this cartoon is an insult to us personally,
to our fine priests at Sacred Heart Parish,
and to the Catholic Church in general.
While we believe in the freedom of speech
that is guaranteed by the Constitution, we
object to someone being vicious and
vindictive at other people's expense. This
type of journalism makes Saratoga, a city
which we love, and the Saratoga News seem
low-class and crass.
—Don and Sandy Sifferman, Greenmeadow Lane
Hope decision was lapse in judgment
I was very disappointed in your paper's
decision to run a cartoon (July 31) that
would try to tarnish our community's Catholic
church. I am a graduate of Sacred Heart, and
my child is now a student. Why would you run
something like that cartoon in a community
paper? My hope is that it was a small lapse
in judgment.
—Marte Formico, Sobey Road
Cartoon was insensitive
We have been Saratoga residents since 1986.
We are self-employed in this community and
also part of the Sacred Heart School
community and church. We were very
disappointed in your cartoon in the July 31
edition of the Saratoga News. It was very
insensitive and slandered our church and
school. We feel personally affronted and
think you should publish a formal apology to
the Sacred Heart Parish as well as the Sacred
Heart School.
—Larry and Robyn Schuck, Saratoga
Parish important part of community
My wife and I are parish members of Sacred
Heart, and my children attend school there.
As relative newcomers to the Saratoga
community, my family has had to struggle with
meeting all new people and reestablishing our
lives. Sacred Heart as a church has helped us
spiritually with this transition. Sacred
Heart as an educational facility provides my
children with a good education, establishing
in them an excellent value system that
hopefully will allow them to become positive
contributors to the community when they
become adults. Sacred Heart as a community
has made my family feel welcome, and the
overwhelming assistance and friendliness the
community has shown is unparalleled.
Your decision to run DeCinzo's cartoon sends
a clear message that the newspaper does not
have a high regard for the contributions of
Sacred Heart—as a church, an educational
institution, and as a community. This goes
beyond poor editorial judgment—it speaks to
the values of the people who allowed the
cartoon to run. A lot of the emails and phone
calls you are receiving are from angry and
disappointed people. I hope you take the time
to reflect on the bigger picture and its
impact on your readership, because the larger
issue is the loss of trust in your newspaper
from a good chunk of your readership. I, for
one, will hold your newspaper in a different
regard and will always question your values
when reading the news you print. I think many
others will also.
One other reflection. The tragedy of Sept. 11
touched all our lives, and one parish that
decided to open its doors to all faiths and
communities was Sacred Heart. I think that
speaks volumes for the values of Sacred
Heart.
—Phil and Meghan Casini, Saratoga
Newspaper sinks to a new low
I am honestly appalled at the cartoon
published in the Saratoga News of July 31. As
an active member of Sacred Heart Parish, the
cartoon deeply offended me. It should deeply
offend many of us. I cannot even imagine why
such an attack has been made, not only
against the clergy, but also against the
parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish and the
students and teachers of Sacred Heart School.
This is a new low for your publication. The
Sacred Heart community has done nothing to
warrant such a libelous attack. Shame on you
and your newspaper.
—Karen A. Genovese, Big Basin Way
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