I am so sick and tired of Channel 7 (WSVN-TV)'s mind-numbing approach, where anchors' personalities are more important than the news they report. If it weren't for WSVN's glinty-toothed, smiley-faced newscasters going "yadda, yadda" about murder and mayhem in Miami, perhaps South Florida would not be so jaded about violence.
I blame local television in large part for community indifference to crime. Sanchez-style newscasters cover the horrible and unthinkable with smooth, soothing voices. Human misery and suffering have become a macabre form of entertainment -- and the local evening news, day after day, year after year, has an effect. If this weren't so, companies would not pay huge bucks for television advertising. The negative consequences of watching are an undeniable truth to anyone who thinks.
Sanchez and those like him in television harm America each day. No one seems to notice the result of pretty people in suits telling us over and over how violence is out of control. Gee… build your house on the side of a volcano and wonder why there is lava in the living room! Create a nation that is indifferent to crime and wonder why our streets, our schools, and our homes are not safe.
The only thing worse than the creeps making the news are the creeps reporting the news. American broadcasting could take a lesson from the BBC. Your general criticisms of Sanchez uncover the tip of an unpleasant iceberg: the failure of American journalism, at least as it is televised.
John Bunnell
via the Internet
Father Knows Biased In most divorce cases the mother is almost automatically awarded custody of the children whether it is right or wrong. This is a sad, sad situation for American family values. Many fathers have neither the resources nor the money to fight this injustice ("When Dads Get Mad," Bob Whitby, May 25). Most fathers just give up. Judges, lawyers, and politicians all know this, but they fail to act. The women's movement has clout, with refuge houses, organizations like Women in Distress, and the almighty vote. Dads have no one to turn to. There is no place to go to give them aid and advice.
It is really a shame that there is so much animosity in this country. Half of all marriages end in divorce. The children always bear the brunt of it and grow up blaming their dads. Many of our nation's children are used as pawns in bitter divorce battles. They are usually alienated from their fathers by vindictive and scheming mothers. It is true that a lot of the women are abused and need help but so do the fathers who love their children equally. The mothers get all the help that they need, and the fathers get nothing!
Even the politicians can't act fast enough to jump on the women's crusade and pass new misery onto the helpless dads. The movement for discriminated dads has begun. More and more dads are demanding help to fight this discrimination by writing and calling these politicians and sticking together for this help that is long overdue. We need to reverse this injustice and strengthen the importance of family love, regardless of all the false accusations that go on in the courtroom. If we don't do something soon, this country will go down the tubes.
God bless all the good dads who are getting a raw deal through the court systems and still persevere. Many of these dads have fought for this great country and still receive this injustice. It is time this country shows its gratitude and fairness.
I, as a father and grandfather, belong to Dads Against Discrimination, an organization founded in Fort Lauderdale to support dads.
Bruce Geradine
Hollywood
She'll Take Reno Over Donato, 15 Rounds, No Time LimitWhat a nut Donato Dalrymple is ("Fifteen Minutes of Infamy", Bob Norman, May 4). Please, I hope I never see this phony man again. This person needs to get some help and soon! Has he ever really stopped and seen himself as he really comes across?
Janet Reno did a patient and consummate job along with the other federal agents. There are always people who like to Monday-morning quarterback, especially those who have no responsibility for anything. No matter what she decided to do, people wouldn't have been satisfied. She is a very strong woman to stand up to all the slings and arrows. I'm just glad the people who admire her have finally been heard above the din. I would have done it sooner!
Please, Mr. Housecleaner, get a job and get a life.
Francett Benson
via the Internet
