Dear ER:
I am deeply disappointed that your paper would allow a caption that would degrade and disrespect an eighth grade tradition at American Martyrs church. I hope that you will see the error in judgment your paper has shown in disrespecting and degrading a large faith based community in the South Bay – that I am sure is a large part of your readership. If more children in this community had the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ in their lives, you probably would not have much to write about. Maybe that is your motivation in belittling one of the most sacred events in the Christian faith. I hope it’s not and that you and your paper will see to posting an apology for this error in judgment.
Bryan Dean
By email
Dear ER:
I’m writing because of the comment next to the American Martyrs Passion Play photo. While I realize that no one can mock a key tenet of Judaism or Islam and get away with it, and while I also realize it’s still open season on Christianity, especially Catholicism, I’m still surprised that you would let something so tasteless be printed. If one has no faith then of course it’s worth a chuckle, but there are still a lot of Catholics and other Christians in the South Bay who will be offended by this. My kids participated in the Passion Play years ago and it’s a wonderful tradition at AMS.
Paul Isley
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER:
Humor in good taste is always good, but I feel you stepped way over the line in your latest issue making a joke about the 8th Graders’ Passion Play. Would mocking the Muslims’ faith be acceptable? No, mocking anyone’s faith is poor taste. Plus, the Muslim faith would put a price on your head for such a joke. You owe everyone a sincere apology.
Mark Jersin
Student of Theology, FUS
By email
Dear ER:
I am a lifelong Catholic, and I try not to get too upset about some things, and even find humor in some jokes people might make about my faith.
However, I must state that the caption that appeared on page 28 of the April 1 edition of the Easy Reader was not funny, at all. Quite the opposite: it was exceedingly disrespectful of what the 8th grade students at American Martyrs Church have been practicing to present to us today: how Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, offered his life for our salvation.
The image of the Virgin Mary weeping as she held her dead Son is one of the saddest and most profound images of our Catholic faith. It is an image that many a parent prays that they will never encounter, having to bury the child that they had brought in to the world, the child they once carried in their arms and cared for during their lives.
Mary is someone for whom Catholics feel a great sense of reverence, in that we give thanks to her, for what she chose to do for us when she said “yes” to God’s call to be the mother of our Lord.
Today I will pray, as Jesus had done, for all the people of this world, as we commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross.
In my prayers I will pray for you, and the writer of that caption, to understand that disrespect for our faith is not acceptable, and that Easy Reader will never, again, endorse such an insensitive act as was displayed.
John Clifford
By email
Dear ER:
I can’t imagine that I will be the only one who will reach out to you to comment on the caption that accompanied the photograph of the American Martyrs School’s eighth grade Passion Play. At least I hope not.
The caption was thoroughly disrespectful to the creativity and hard work of the students and their teachers, misleading as to the purpose of the students’ performance, and, very importantly, patently and enormously insulting to those of us, including, I dare say, much of your readership, for whom the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is not a subject for immature parody. There is no excuse for such lack of sensitivity in any enterprise which would claim to be legitimate journalism.
Your readers deserve an apology in print; and the author of the caption is in serious need of reflection on what it means to be an adult professional.
Most Reverend Gordon D. Bennett, S.J.
Bishop Emeritus of Mandeville, Jamaica
By email
Dear ER:
I, like many others, feel insulted and disrespected by that caption [on page 28], as would any Christian. Using humor to mock religious beliefs on the holiest day in the Christian world is an affront.
You should be ashamed of doing something like that. This event and the circumstances of what American Martyrs students are doing should be applauded and not mocked. Nevertheless, I’ll pray for you.
Neil Gafney
By email
Dear ER:
It is with a heavy heart and great anguish that we as a community must write to you regarding the recent mocking of children performing a dramatization of the Last Supper of Christ. While you, and the staff you have hired to represent your magazine, may have little or no faith as humans, to show the blatant disrespect toward children and a community of faith during the holiest time of year, is not only reprehensible, but disrespectful and irresponsible. Irreparable damage has been done, particularly in the eyes and hearts of the children of American Martyrs School. We hope, as editor of a publication which has lost our respect, you will act accordingly to try and salvage what you can and in some way attempt to heal the pain you have caused so many.
The Doyle Family
By Email
Dear ER
My guess is you will get a flurry of emails, as someone is stirring up the local clergy. However, I have to add my name to the list of people who were less than pleased about the caption for the Martyrs’ Stations of the Cross on pg. 28. Joking about the photos, which is meant to be sentimental at least and faith filled at best, came across to me as crass and disrespectful, especially with children involved. I know what a supporter you have been of St. Cross, and for that I am thankful.
Hopefully Easy Reader will think twice on something like this caption next time.
The Rev. Rachel Anne Nyback
Rector, St. Cross by-the-Sea
Hermosa Beach
Dear ER:
I’m writing regarding the caption above the picture of two children in the American Martyrs Passion play. Look, a cartoon along these lines would be one thing (though, I believe, in very poor taste). But these are neighbors — children — celebrating the core teaching of their faith tradition (here, Catholicism). I wonder how these kids felt when they eagerly turned to their local paper regarding their roll in the celebration the Passion — right at the heart of their faith tradition — only to find that their local paper had mocked them, just above a photograph of them that it distributed throughout their community. Tell me, what public service did the Easy Reader perform by this mockery?
I’d very much like to think the Easy Reader just had a bad day and exercised very poor judgment. I’d like to believe that there was no intent to insult and urge you to print an apology. But absent that clarification and apology, one tends to draw the contrary conclusion. Please, reach out to the community to correct this significant misstep.
Mark Kemple
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER:
I was astounded to see your caption, in very poor taste, under the photo of the scene played by the American Martyrs 8th grade — Christ lying in his mother’s arms in the “Passion of Christ” dramatization as a “slip and fall incident.” You took one of the holiest days of Christian liturgy and made your picture caption a complete mockery of what’s so important to remember.
The picture caught the scene but the caption degraded the seriousness of the moment. It’s an insult to all Christians.
I hope you have a wonderful Easter and reflect upon on what went on besides a cutesy comment or a chocolate bunny and jelly beans. I thought you were trying to get away from the reference “Sleazy Reader.”
Dennis D. Draudt
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER:
I wanted to let you know that I found the caption highlighting the American Martyrs Church (The Way of the Cross) extremely distasteful to say the very least. I am disappointed in Easy Reader and rethinking my commitment to this paper.
You would not believe the number of Christians you have disappointed in the South Bay community, let alone, the American Martyrs Church who through its congregation is a very big supporter of your paper.
I believe at a minimum an apology needs to be written for such poor taste in trying to be funny. For the individual who wrote the caption, I believe you need to make sure that they understand what their attempt a humor has done to disappoint an entire community. What a sad way to start the Easter weekend with having to write such a note.
Mike Concannon
By email
Dear ER:
As a long-time resident of the South Bay, I can’t recall a more tasteless display than that on page 28 of your paper this week. I am not sure how this caption could pass under an editor’s eyes without realizing the editor realizing it was a bad idea. I am all for poking fun and making light of situations, but this goes too far. As Catholics this is our faith, and what you are poking fun of is a dramatization by good local kids of a man who died way too young lying in his mother’s arms. That sure doesn’t sound very funny to me. You might not be a believer, and that’s OK, but please don’t drag my faith through the mud just because you didn’t care to stop and comprehend it. You owe an apology to those kids’ families and to American Martyrs Church.
I hope whoever wrote the caption has already realized his/her mistake and resigned.
Rob McGarry
By email
Dear ER:
I was extremely offended by the caption of the picture describing the American Martyrs School’s portrayal of the Easter Passion as a traffic accident. I think you owe an apology to the school and most importantly to the students whom enact this portrayal each year. This was a disgrace.
Mike O’Neil
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER:
Thank you for publishing Easy Reader for us here in the South Bay. Reading the paper this week however was not easy for me as a Catholic and as a parent of a child at American Martyrs School.
The caption describing the Good Friday service was inappropriate and not in line with what I’ve come to expect from Easy Reader as a news and information source for the South Bay.
I would request that you consider retracting the caption in your next issue and place a personal call of apology to Msgr. John Barry and the two 8th graders in the picture.
Patrick Johnson
Hermosa Beach
Dear ER:
Shame on you for mocking the passion of Christ that the 8th graders at American Martyrs work hard all year to perform. No wonder your publication is a sham and lack behind the beach reporter. A sincere apology must be served.
Peter Kim
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER:
I was appalled by your pathetic attempt at humor (and I’m surely giving you the benefit of the doubt here)regarding your Stations of the Cross header, and wonder if you routinely mock all religions and ethnicities or if you are just anti-Catholic? While many fine men and women of the United States of America have given their lives to ensure that you are protected by the First Amendment, and while Easy Reader has provided you a public forum for displaying your “talent,” I would like you and your employer to know that I will no longer provide advertising dollars to that newspaper.
I think you owe a huge apology to the public, whether or not you feel it deserved. If your parents are still alive, I doubt they would be proud of what their child has become. If you have children, I pray for their sake and those of the public that they do not follow in your footsteps. I think I have a great sense of humor and for the record I am not Catholic, but I acknowledge that certain areas are off-limits to attempts at comedy. You’d be well advised to consider the same in your future endeavors.
Bryan Kirchwehm
By email
Dear ER:
I’m a long time South Bay resident, long time reader, a Christian and an American Martyrs parishioner. I’m appalled by the lack of editorial judgment made by your staff, reflected on page 28 of this week’s edition. I don’t see any humor whatsoever (if it was any other religion the same would apply). What amazes me is that it was the only caption singled out which makes it even worse. What was the point of poking fun at those innocent children and making light of the most sacred time of the year for all Christians?
In addition, the page 27 advertisement for a local bar is beyond reproach. I’m sure they are paying good money for a section of your paper, but this crosses the line and goes beyond dollars and cents — it’s about exercising decency and good judgment. The advertisement is tasteless, derogatory and insulting. The owners of that establishment I’m sure see no wrong in their advertisement and it’s in the spirit of generating business (what a shame…), but you have a responsibility to know your audience, and where you have the opportunity to make the right call you should.
I realize people make mistakes and regret past actions and I’m all for making amends. I know your staff and paper has done a great job over the years to bringing hope, understanding and good will to the South Bay. I just hope that these emails and messages you get today and days to come make a difference and you acknowledge that there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. This week the Easy Reader leaped over that line and didn’t bother looking back.
Tommy Moreno
Manhattan Beach
Dear ER
We just attended both showings of the Passion at Martyrs. What an amazing event. Did anyone cover the event at your “paper?” I do not plan to ever use your “paper” and I’m telling everyone the same. Your entertainment editor has upset everyone in our community and must not be of any religion or is so mean spirited and self centered that he does not even know what is supposed to be funny or serious. I don’t care if you missed this in editing. Just look at the proper PR insert provided by the Beach Reporter. Why don’t you move your paper to another town in another country? What an incredibly stupid and mean spirited slant that disrespects me, my faith, the kids of families who I know and love, and my community. My son was in this production and received nothing but praise for an incredible ceremony. Too bad your paper did not see the same value. The media and other organizations are constantly attacking religion from all fronts and Easy Reader is out in front, leading the charge. You and your paper should be ashamed.
Tim Wallender
By email
Dear ER:
I was personally insulted as a Christian and as a member of American Martyrs Church by the caption written next for the photograph of the American Martyrs students depicting The Way of the Cross. The fact that my son is a recent graduate and participated in the hundreds of hours of preparation for the Way of the Cross presentation for the community only makes it worse. I would hope any Christian would feel that the comment made in your paper about the image of Jesus Christ laying dead in His mother’s arm, on Good Friday no less, was offensive and disrespectful. I would consider myself a moderate, but Easy Reader disrespected me, my faith, my Church, our school and my community. You should apologize for the poor taste you demonstrated and consider whether or not the individual who wrote the caption should even be writing for a newspaper that is part of a community that has values that far exceed the ones being shown by his/her lack of judgment. This family will not read your paper again until you take responsible action. Please do not have it left at our house until this is done.
Debra Duncan
Manhattan Beach
I think all these pious people should be more insulted, upset, appalled and mad at the “church” leaders who have abused Catholic children including deaf children. And thanks to the wonderful Los Angeles Archdiocese, who has to cover legal fees for the abuse that occurred, is now closing small Catholic schools in low income areas, where these schools actually are needed. Come on all you entitled Martyrs families, get real, the community has to look at this production every year in the paper, and it’s kind of old. I think Jesus would understand the joke, he had more of a sense of humor than any of you. I think you have bigger fish to fry other than being so up in arms over a clumsy caption.
Dear “recoveringcatholic”, The comments of those above are directed toward the mocking of children (for laughs) as they express their faith tradition. (Kuddos to Kevin Cody for his stand-up apology.) How do you conclude from those comments, that their writers are not outraged by child abuse, particularly by persons within the Catholic Church? Show me those dots, and how you connected them. Have we even met before? Concerning the maintenance of Catholic schools in the face of legal expenses including settlements, where do you think the money comes from to pay those settlements to victims and to maintain those schools and other good works? From “recovering Catholics”, or from practicing Catholics? Please, take a breath, reflect, and express the good in you.
I have taken a breath, reflected, thanks Mark. Thanks also for covering the legal fees for abusers as a practicing Catholic as you stated. God bless.
Dear ER:
“After having read all of the comments from the last issue relative to the American Martyrs church play, it is unfortunate that something written with seemingly harmless intent from the previous issue, can blow up so out of proportion. In this world today, where there is so much volatility, we as a society need to stop attacking one another. Let’s stop making controversy over the small things and move on to far more important issues. I doubt seriously the slipped on the way to the locker room comment was meant as a malicious attack to those eighth graders. Yes it is true the eighth graders deserve respect and admiration for putting on such a play. But please lets refrain from over reacting.”
I can’t understand or fathom the logic of someone who defends the unjustifiable mocking of a faith-based tradition by mentioning in the same breath the tragedy of abused children as if there is a scale where lesser crimes can be perpetuated as long as or because one does not address the ‘bigger” crimes ?
Are you saying that one should now summarily ignore the “minor” insults against a faith-based tradition because all “minor” insults are classified as trivial ?
And one last Logic Question: how do you know or determine that those writing against the mockery of our Passion Play are not the very victims of the abuse you are harping about and/or people who have sought to fight the abuse ?
In other words, I can’t fathom the logic of your thinking.
What was the caption in question? I must have missed it.