Covering controversy

Let’s talk for a minute about last week’s cover controversy: the devilish Bush image.

Local conservative talk radio picked up the issue on Friday. We received several phone calls from people who don’t regularly read the paper. I also received calls from a few people who read the newspaper who thought the cover was over the line. Six businesses called and said they don’t want to distribute the RN&R anymore. While I would argue that making business decisions based on emotions isn’t always the best move, I do support their right to disagree with the editorial policies of this newspaper, and I appreciate the years they did distribute us. However, if you own a high-volume place you think would be a good spot for readers to pick up the newspaper, drop Daphne Menden, daphnem@newsreview.com, an e-mail.

I don’t really want to discuss whether the cover could be construed as disrespecting our commander-in-chief or the office of the president or even if it was insulting to Satanists, but I will say this: The cover was an ironic political statement about this election. It was intended to express the way many people feel toward this administration. While I sympathize that some people who support Bush or who see the Oval Office as a symbol beyond the seated president found that cover offensive, I’ve also gotten a lot of feedback from people who liked it and saw the intended humor in it.

Along unrelated lines, I’m taking a welding class at TMCC. My instructor, John Septien, has mentioned several times that local sources for mild steel have dried up. If you have any 16- or 18-gauge mild steel, unpainted and unplated, end-crop or shear-crop pieces, please call John at 856-5325. About the only caveat is he can’t transport full sheets. Rust is fine. All donations are tax-deductible.

Reason to vote No. 45: You support George W. Bush. Or you don’t.