Racy Headline was a turn-off

What were you thinking?

Has the Federal Way community run out of newsworthy items to talk about? Has news been so slow you need to sink to new levels?

First, my fourth-grade son announces he just read about a great new form of exercise that looks fun. It’s called pole dancing (“Strip off weight with pole dancing,” Aug. 23). Hello? Am I the only one who has a problem here? Is that the best Federal Way can do? Do we not have anything else to put on the front page?

Then I open the newspaper today and read “Suspect, 44, has oral sex with a 15-year-old” (crime blotter, Sept. 3). Again, should that be a headline? I am working very hard to raise children who can read current events and ask questions if they don’t understand. I am not ready to discuss oral sex with my kids. And when I do, I don’t think it should be based on a headline in the community paper.

You do such a wonderful job on keeping us in the loop on happenings in Federal Way that it is a shame I should feel the need to recycle the paper before my kids get to read it.

If this is supposed to be a community paper defined by school boundaries, doesn’t that somehow indicate it might be read by students? I ask you to please rethink your headlines with your target audience in mind.

There is so much happening in Federal Way. Couldn’t you report a little more in-depth on some of those events?

Please, let’s keep it a family paper.

Tina McCandless

Federal Way

Faces of domestic violence

Interesting articles about domestic violence lately. Especially in light that your paper indicates such incidents are happening on a daily basis. Just looking at the crime blotter…

The article about how the police department in our city deserves a big round of applause is justified (“City fights domestic violence,” Aug. 27). Brian Wilson, chief of police, has taken a great interest in the safety of victims of abuse. He joined our Coordinated Community Response and Steering Committee about how we as a community can help those who need help. We have all been delighted to see his participation coming on board and have already experienced help generated by his department. Without him, our voice would not be heard.

Also: Why not interview prosecutors and public defenders? Why are the judges not attending our meetings? Some do, some do not…still they hold all the power over the safety of the victims/survivors and all the power over the accountability over those who abuse. Would some people have specific burning questions to ask them? I am sure some would.

What about probation officers and department of correction officers? All these people are part of this world we call “domestic violence.”

If there is a need to educate the public, then it should not be one-sided. Not only “city officials” should have a voice; we all should have one. Your reporters may want to knock on some different doors for a change.

The other side of the story is this one: It may be worth considering talking to all folks who are linked far or close to domestic/family violence.

Just to name a few: Victims/survivors would have real stories to tell, victim advocates are in the trenches with these people. Then there are the perpetrators; I doubt they want to come forward. Still, you may want to talk to other people in the trenches such as domestic violence treatment professionals who are bravely providing a minimum of 48 hours of therapy to these people and “work” with them for a minimum of one year.

It may be worth looking into how many of these perpetrators are ending up in the wrong treatment, such as eight hours of anger management, because of so-called “deals” in court. It’s a recipe for a disaster as well as continued more severe abuse to the victims including small children.

Domestic violence has many faces and we should look at all of them. This is real and (we need) full education for all of us professionals and the public. I hope this will happen in the City of Federal Way in the interest of all involved on a daily basis.

Ginou Tapp

Federal Way

Note: Ginou Tapp is a domestic violence treatment supervisor for Harmony Counseling in Federal Way.

Where are fall sports?

Here it is, the first week of school and our local paper has not had one report on the fall sports for our Federal Way School District students.

How sad is that? Two 4A school and two 3A schools in one district, and not a mention of any football, cross country, girls golf or any other upcoming fall sport in your paper.

I see last week the gay softball tourney drew front page news. I hope you don’t think that it’s more important to report on an event that brought in outsiders from other states with a bigger financial stake for the city than our own kids who have been working hard all summer preparing for their schools’ upcoming sports.

I believe The Mirror should be ashamed by not reporting on this before the start of fall sports, and should give a huge apology to the Federal Way students and community.

Jim Johnson

Federal Way

Editor’s note: Please see The Mirror’s 2008 Prep Football Guide in today’s paper.