Some people in Fort Wayne seem disinclined to agonize over the private lives of public figures. Steve Shine is, to some, a reviled Republican cheerleader, so any dirt that can be dished on him is a good thing, and any of us worry about the erosion of privacy are apologists for privilege, never mind the nuances. But if any want an example of legitimate reporting of someone's private life, here it is, a police officer accused of domestic abuse:
Tyler is charged with domestic battery and interfering with the reporting of a crime for allegedly grabbing his wife during an argument, and ripping a phone from her hands and throwing it across the room when she tried to call 9-1-1 for help.
A political party chairman grabbing his wife's car keys. A cop, whose job is to ensure public safety, grabbing his wife. Even the most partisan Democrat must be able to see the difference.
Comments
Glad I'm an independent. Grabbing anything from a person is rude, and if it's an adult, even if it's your wife, it is called battery. That's the law.
Just because your name is Steve Shine, does not allows you to grab keys without the police being called in to record the mess. And how do we know this because officers to uphold the law were called at the taxpayers expense.
But too many trees to see the wolf or something like that.
The question isn't whether it's rude or battery or a mess or qwhatever but whether it's newsworthy when it happens to some people but not others.
It is accepted that public figures are of greater interest than those in private life. I don't find it remarkable that Mr. Shine's difficulties were reported as a matter of public interest, so long as the reporting was careful and accurate (and I'm registered as a Republican).
I would not, however, want to be the head of a new third party and find that every detail of my frail humanity was portrayed negatively in the media. That's where the reporting would go afoul of the law, I think.
Mr. Shine has been "in power" plenty long enough to take some heat, and I'm sure time will tell who deserves the brunt of the criticism, if any is warranted at all. Let the chips fall. Just make sure the media does right by both parties or they will be the only villains in the piece.
Shine was reported as saying his wife "recanted" her 911 call.
Tonight, WPTA is reporting that is NOT true- She filed for divorce and released a statement saying she DID NOT recant.
We can waste time following the rumors minute to minute, or we can have just enough patience to let the best of the current information flow in.
I prefer the latter course. I expect that the "facts" will still change over time, but at least they will not be pure gossip masquerading as breaking news.
Right because Leo actually KNOWS what happened that night. Shine says his wife "recanted" that there was a physical altercation - well looks like that might not have been quite true.
I still haven't figured out your argument Leo. Are you complaining that your own news reporters should have avoided the story altogether? Or are you suggesting they should've waited for the final report? Either way it's news and the only argument is one of timing right?
If you are a public figure your private life is going to be under scrutiny-that includes Steve Shine. If he is grabbing his wife's car keys and breaking them off in the ignition, that is aggressive behavior. Hence a poor role model for the public.
"Hence a poor role model for the public."
Who the hell made him a role model? He's NOT an elected public official......
For Gods' sake, this isn't Watergate, or O.J........let's move on with our lives people.
Jeff: I don't have a hard and fast "stand" on this issue. As I said in the original post, I don't think I have a better answer than anybody else; I just think that, in this era of disappearing privacy, it's something we should talk about. I went through a divorce myself a few years ago. It was very amicable, and we didn't part as bitter enemies. I wonder if it would have been that way if we had been subjected to intense public scrutiny.
I have no idea what really went on at the Shine house so have no reason to defend or accuse anybody. But, as described, it sounds like thousands of other incidents that go on every year here with no press coverage of any kind. Unless you take the position that we should know every single private thing about every single private figure, it seems fair to ask where the line should be drawn.