The Gazette Gets Personal

It’s one thing to skewer, logically and dispassionately, an organization, or a government agency, or an opponent with whom you strongly disagree. That is, of course, supposed to be the point of an editorial.

But of late, the conservative Colorado Springs Gazette has taken on at-times spiteful, malicious, personal tones. How else would you describe making casual fun of a 65-year old disabled woman who is sent to the hospital with injuries after being dragged across the street by cops?

Or, more recently, “congratulating” Democratic Rep. Michael Merrifield on his successful battle against throat cancer – in such patronizing tones (like calling him “profoundly misguided but a decent guy and an ideal foil”) so as to leave the reader entirely creeped out?On March 20 the Gazette offered up an editorial that was exceedingly critical of seven anti-war activists who had planned their annual peaceable march in the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. (Note: Media Matters Colorado later provided a critical analysis of the Gazette,‘s basic argument, which had ignored the newspaper’s own reporting about what happened.)

But here is the editorial’s reference to Elizabeth Fineron, 65, who was dragged across the street by police, resulting in her pants being pulled down and a painful and deep road rash measuring an estimated four-by-five inches around:

“The police were asked by parade organizers to enforce the rules. When some of the protesters declined to comply, they were arrested. If arrested people flop down on the ground and play possum, they run the risk of getting rugburn when they are forcibly removed. It’s a real drag, so to speak.”

Is this supposed to be funny?

And then, on Sunday, the Gazette provided what could only be considered a boorish, backhanded swipe, complete with feigned empahy,

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