JAMESTOWN – Friday’s rainy weather doesn’t appear to be affecting the plan for a group of area residents to protest The Post-Journal this afternoon. As WRFA first reported on Thursday, the group has planned the protest in response to what it claims is a misrepresentation of the community and the publishing of slurs and insults toward certain groups of people.
One of those who will be on hand is Jamestown City Council President Greg Rabb. Rabb that he had no part in organizing the event, but adds that he was invited and plans to attend, partly because he’s been personally affected by the what has appeared in the paper, both in the published version as what’s been written on its website.
“I’ve been through this before and I’m tired of being vilified in the newspaper for being a bad person, when all I’m doing is good,” Rabb told WRFA during a recent interview. “It’s upsetting and it’s wearing me down and taking a toll on me personally. And if it’s doing that to me, what is it doing to other people, not just LGBT people but other people that they choose to allow comments to be printed? But I’ve become sort of a whipping boy and a target and quite frankly, I’m tired of it. I’m not backing down and I’m not going away, but this stuff has got to stop.”
In the past few weeks, the newspaper ran several letters to the editor from local residents voicing their objection to Rabb, who authored a letter explaining how his work in making Jamestown a same-sex marriage destination has given a boost to the local economy. Some of the letters were critical of the LGBT lifestyle, while related public comments on the website were offensive to Rabb and many of the organizers.
As a result of the recent issue with Rabb, as well as other past incidents where comments and letters-to-the-editor have allegedly vilified specific groups, the protesters are asking the paper to take a more sensitive and balanced approach to covering various issues.
The argument can be made that the group of protestors are trying to pressure the paper to limit free speech. Rabb said that while he can’t speak for the organizers of the protest, he can say that is not his intention.
“I don’t want to restrict speech. I’m a First Amendment absolutist and member of the ACLU,” Rabb explained. “But if people want to say they hate me, then say it to my face. Let me know who you are, but the newspaper shouldn’t be printing stuff like that. They have an ethical obligation to go above the requirements of the law and the ethics dictate that you don’t allow people to insult and attack people personally. It is very hurtful and the last time I went through this I had to call the police.”
Rabb also said that he’s obviously not going to support any type of boycott because the paper is a business that provides a benefit to the local economy.
According to the event’s mission statement, organizers will demand the paper refrain from publishing editorial and reader-submitted content that includes slurs or insults based upon a person’s or group’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political views, religious views or physical, mental or socio-economic status. They also hope the protest will persuade the newspaper to consistently portray a balanced, civil and positive view of the Jamestown area. And they also want to see The Post-Journal give equal space to syndicated and reader-submitted editorial content that reflects more moderate and left-leaning views, even if they may not reflect the views held by The Post-Journal owners or staff.
Regardless of what outcome Friday’s protest may or may not bring, Rabb says he will continue to do what he’s been doing and that is to promote Jamestown as a community that accepts and welcomes marriage equality and he will continue to perform the ceremonies.
“First of all, it’s the law. Secondly, I just got reelected last November to another two-year term. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done and I’ve been able to make a difference,” Rabb said. “There’s no way I’m going to be backing down because that’s what they want me to do and I’m not going to do it. In fact, I just booked a wedding in June for two guys from Cleveland. They said we want to get married and I said, ‘great, we’re glad to have you.'”
Friday’s protest will take place at 4 p.m. at the intersection of W. Second and Cherry Streets in downtown Jamestown.
As noted in our story on Thursday, WRFA reached out The Post-Journal but it has declined to comment.
It’s astounding, sad, and pathetic that in the year 2014, the need to demand that an ostensibly unbiased news publication “refrain from publishing editorial and reader-submitted content that includes slurs or insults based upon a person’s or group’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political views, religious views or physical, mental or socioeconomic status” would even be necessary.