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In her Dec. 2 article, “From steelhead to sewer lines: Why the Murray Street Bridge rebuild can’t move faster,” Lily Belli suggested that the “blame” for problems with timing of the bridge project “could be laid on steelhead trout.”
I was shocked at her statement and immediately emailed Ms. Belli, writing: “While I appreciated your informative account of the bridge project, I very much object to your comment: ‘”‘But blame could be laid on steelhead trout.'”
How on earth is a species that has lived in the waters of this bioregion for millions of years and trying to thrive in the face of human development in its home, possibly to be “blamed” for anything? This is the height of hubris. I am greatly disappointed that this insensitive, human-centric statement was published in Lookout. I hope you will quickly edit it.”
Belli’s response to my request that she simply delete the offending phrase, which in my opinion mirrors the current White House administration blame game on threatened species, was: “I used narrative voice while writing that sentence; it is not meant to be taken literally. We welcome criticism in our Letters and Opinion section. Please reach out … if that interests you.”
And so I am. If journalism isn’t based on reporters’ words, why read those words?
Jean Brocklebank
Live Oak