SEPTEMBER 2008

from the EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
The Chaldean News, LLC
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
MANAGING EDITOR
Joyce Wiswell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Caroline M. Bacall
Iklas Bashi
Crystal Kassab Jabiro
Ken Marten
Steve Stein
ART & PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative
Joseph Sesi
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Nora Bahrou Downs
David Reed
OPERATIONS
Interlink Media
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Paul Alraihani
CIRCULATION
Paul Alraihani
CLASSIFIEDS
Joyce Wiswell
SALES
Interlink Media
SALES REPRESENTATIVES
Brenda Koza
Lisy Starr
MANAGERS
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
Martin Manna
Michael Sarafa
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Out of the closet
Since the inception of The
Chaldean News, we
have been asked numerous
times to cover a very sensitive
issue: homosexuality in the
community. I have been
stopped at various events,
received anonymous letters to
the editor (which we have not
published due to the anonymity)
and been called on the phone
by several people to write something
about gays in the
Chaldean community.
I am a strong believer that using anonymous
sources lessens your credibility.
However, in certain circumstances it is
necessary, though not in the case of anonymous
letters to the editor. If you want to
have a voice and express an opinion, then
put your name to your letter. Otherwise,
you don’t have the right to say anything.
However, regarding this very sensitive
issue that is becoming quite prevalent
in our community, we decided to
publish our cover story using anonymous
sources. We sat on this for
months before we made the decision.
One thing I have realized as a copublisher
and editor-in-chief of this
newsmagazine is that you will never
please everyone. We are criticized for
not publishing enough hard-hitting controversial
stories — accused of reporting
on too much “fluff.” Yet, every time we
write a piece considered edgy or offer
an opinion that some don’t agree with,
my phone rings off the hook with angry
voices at the other end.
I have no problem publishing letters
to the editor. People have a right to voice
their opinion and offer critiques of our
coverage. In fact, I encourage them.
However, I recently made an important
decision; I will no longer worry about
trying to please everyone.
VANESSA
DENHA-
GARMO
EDITOR
I am not going to worry
about the coward who sends a
text message around the community
telling people to boycott
The Chaldean News because
we wrote a story about gambling
problems in the same
issue in which we published a
casino ad. We have contracts
with our clients. We made a
mistake in placing the ad right
next to the article. However,
we cannot just decide not to
publish an ad one month. True to form,
we published several letters to the editor
regarding the gambling issue.
I am sure this month’s cover story will
garner the same, if not more, attention.
We carefully discussed this issue for
months before we published it. We want
to thank Fr. Frank for his guidance and
sound advice about how we covered
this story. He was instrumental in our
decision making and his support and
input is greatly appreciated.
We realize that this is a very sensitive
issue in our community. It is the reason
we allowed our sources to talk to us
without using their real names. I truly
believe that in this case, their identities
need to be protected. Yes, I already can
imagine the phone calls and letters that
will come my way once you read this
issue. I expect and welcome it. I always
stand by what we publish in The
Chaldean News. Despite the backlash
that may come, this story needed to get
out. It is what we do as journalists and as
reporters; we cover the issues in the
community — gays and lesbians fearful
of coming out. They still live in the
proverbial closet. I say that not as a joke
or insult but state that as what we have
learned after doing our research and
conducting our interviews. I also want to
commend Crystal Kassab Jabiro for her
professionalism and attention to this difficult
story to tackle at this time in our
lives as Chaldeans. She gave this piece
the attention it needed in order to be
done in the most respectful way.
As we know, the issue of gays and
lesbians creeps up in political debates at
the height of national campaigns. This
past month, I expected to be part of a
private meeting with presidential candidate
John McCain at a fundraiser held at
Shenandoah. Due to the policies of his
public relations team, only a handful of
reporters are allowed at certain events.
After waiting an hour next to Secret
Service agents, I felt like I was in trouble;
they were very polite men and had no
control over the PR people. In the end,
they allowed me to attend the luncheon
to hear him speak but not the one-hour
meeting with members of our community.
They sent my photographer home.
I have covered presidential elections
including George W. Bush and Bill
Clinton. Other than having to get Secret
Service clearance, I never had a problem
covering any of their events. As a
press secretary myself and a journalist, I
found the decision of the McCain public
relations team odd. Needless to say, we
will not be including the coverage of
McCain in this issue that we had hoped
to bring our readers.
Alaha Imid Koullen
(God Be With Us All)
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
vdenha@chaldeannews.com
Letters to the editor are welcome.
Please keep your letter to less than
500 words and include your name and
city. The Chaldean News reserves the
right to edit letters for clarity and
length. Submit your letter via email to
info@chaldeannews.com or mail to:
The Chaldean News, Letters to the
Editor, 30095 Northwestern Highway,
Suite 102, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
10 CHALDEAN NEWS SEPTEMBER 2008