Fraters Libertas

The Appearance of Impropriety

Yet another Pioneer Press employee has been suspended for his participation in partisan political activities. The Plain as the Nose on Your Face Award goes to anyone who can correctly guess which partisan political philosophy was being endorsed.

During the Presidential campaign last year, it was intrepid reporters Chuck Laszewski and Rick Linsk "Rocking for Change" with Bruce Springsteen and Bright Eyes and MoveOn.org, all in support of John Kerry.

It appears Laszewski's preference for change only extended to the dream of a John Kerry presidency. A few months after that dream's rude awakening, ol' Chuck went on to lead the newsroom lynch party against editor Mark Yost for daring to criticize the status quo of his colleagues and their unrelenting gloom and doom coverage of the US military's efforts in Iraq. The money quote:

You have insulted them and demeaned them, and to a much lesser degree, demeaned the reporters everywhere who have been threatened with bodily harm, who have been screamed at, or denied public records, just because they wanted to present the closest approximation to the truth they could.

I am embarrassed to call you my colleague.

The more they Rock for Change, they more they stay the same.

Now it's Pioneer Press editor Tim Mahoney caught attending a Washington DC protest against the war in Iraq. That protest's vision of reality, according to one of its sponsors:

More than two years after the illegal and immoral U.S. invasion of Iraq, the nightmare continues. More than 1600 U.S. soldiers have died, at least another 15,000 have been wounded; even the most conservative estimates of Iraqi deaths number in the tens of thousands. Iraq, a once sovereign nation, now lies in ruins under the military and corporate occupation of the United States; U.S. promises to rebuild have not been kept and Iraqis still lack food, water, electricity, and other basic needs.

With that level of gloom and doom, whoever wrote that is someone Chuck Laszewski would not be embarrassed to call a colleague.

And it was that doom and gloom that must have attracted Tim Mahoney to march back in September. But, because of a sticky ethical clause in Pioneer Press contracts, he's is in the cross hairs of management. Or should I say, on the cross. At least that's where the accused is hanging himself:

"There is an issue of conscience, of religion," he says. "I'm not trying to put myself forth as any kind of pious person at all. I'm not. But it's a matter of personal belief. It seemed to me--and still does--completely harmless to the interests of the Pioneer Press."

Sure, it all "seems" harmless to Mahoney. But then again, he's not exactly famous for his judgment, is he? (See the "immoral" and "illegal" rhetoric above).

On one level I actually agree with Mahoney. A ban on political activities by press members is nothing more than window dressing. This man's attendance at a rally is not going to affect his performance at the paper one way or another. If he's biasing the newspaper's coverage with his extremist views, he'll continue to do so, whether or not he's allowed to publicly expose the depths to which his obsessions drive him. And, as an occasional consumer of the Pioneer Press's product, it is beneficial to know where these people officially stand on the issues they're covering, so I can correct for that in my attempts to actually understand what they're reporting on.

But I also fully understand the Pioneer Press's position and their need to limit certain displays by their employees. They're in the business of providing information, in particular on politics and government. A product most desirable when it's presumed to be objective, or at the very least, delivered in a good faith effort to provide objectivity. The press's well-deserved reputation for left wing bias is hurting their sales and having their employees marching and carrying on with political extremists and clowns further sours the impression of the customer base.

It is entirely reasonable for the Pioneer Press to ask their employees to limit their behavior in this regard. And to levy consequences when their policies are ignored. Any conscientious employee should recognize that. Anyone with a commitment to professionalism and a concern for their employer's well being should recognize that. (Employers - remember them, the folks that pay you every two weeks?) Instead we get people like Chuck Laszewski and Tim Mahoney, flaunting their egotistical excesses and ignoring their employer's wishes, then wrapping themselves in the robes of martyrs of conscience. Then getting their union to intervene and file grievances on their behalf, which makes you wonder who these people actually think they're working for.

My advice to these gentlemen is to grow up. And accept the fact that the nature of their chosen profession prevents them from acting out on every vainglorious impulse of contempt they have for the Republican party. If they decide that attending MoveOn.org and International ANSWER rallies is vital for their self esteem, the Pioneer Press may not be the best outlet for their talents. Instead, maybe the City Pages or the Socialist Worker would be better fits. There, attendance at anti-Bush rallies won't get you suspended. It just might get you the employee of the month award.