Thursday, August 13, 2009

Local Patchogue Residents Criticize United Press International Article

I believe that UPI, has been remiss in reporting about the sex trafficking incident of August, 11, 2009. The name of our town “Patchogue,” appeared in capital letters, affixed to the beginning of the first paragraph, in a recent UPI article. By virtue of our name appearing in “large print,” a reasonable person would connect sex crimes, with our home town.

Three individuals were arrested for sex trafficking. Their places of business were in Farmingville, Lake Ronkonkoma, and about four other locations throughout long Island.

One of the Alleged perpetrators, Antonio Revera, lived in Patchogue, another in Medford, and a third alleged perpetrator, lived in Bellport. What if one of the alleged perpetrators lived in Greenport? Would attaching the name of a respectable community, in all capital letters, be a proper thing to do. The"town of Greenport" did not commit a crime. The "town of Patchogue" did not commit a crime; so why is our name in capital letters?

The alleged incidents of sex trafficking did not happen in Patchogue, but in two other long Island communities. The reporter should not “headline” these communities, because they too are victims!

Although the crime is hideous, the news media should use care when writing their articles; one word in the wrong place, can and will punish an entity that had nothing to do with the incident.

I would like to commend Newsday for their coverage of this sex trafficking issue. Yes the names of the towns where the alleged perpetrators lived and operated their illegal enterprise was indeed published; in the third paragraph. The name of our town did not take on the appearance of a headline. Newsday was careful to punish the perpetrators, not the local communities that were also victimized, by virtue of having these alleged criminals operate in their town.

Any salesman knows that if you want to sell a product to a potential customer, the customer must like you as a friend, before business can transpire. This same truism also pertains to selling newspapers. Hopefully the offending text will be removed from the UPI.com article.



HTTP://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/08/11/Three-charged-with-sex-trafficking-in-bars/UPI-15081250014560/



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