In Canada, a journalist named Mark Steyn is being pursued by "human rights commissions" that want to punish him for writing less-than-kind words about Islam.

I'd prefer journalists self-censored on stuff like this. But, bringing the weight of government down on them is medicine far worse than the ailment.

But, the First Amendment allows the media to report anything, with virtually no restrictions. Except for libel laws--which, incidentally, put all the burden of proof on the shoulders of the person whose reputation is jeopardized--there is almost no check on the media.

And, "not guilty" verdicts and dismissals rarely get as much space as charges--if any space at all.

It's not a fair world. In a fair world, there would be no blotters, and we'd only report on cases when a verdict was rendered.

But it's not a fair world, and I think Rodney and his editors were just doing their job on this one.

Still, I feel bad for Judge D. I'd imagine the man feels some anguish today.

A few years back, Jenna and Barbara Bush--the daughters of the President and First Lady--were out at Chuy's, a college bar in Austin, TX, under-age. Jenna was a student at UT-Austin, and Barbara was a student at Yale.

They were doing something millions of college students do every night--or at least every weekend. They were drinking under-age.

And they got arrested. (No doubt, someone recognized them and knew of their age--and decided to get political payback by hurting the President's kids.)

This made national news. Should it have?

The "crime" itself was a fairly pedestrian one. Given that few college students in America don't drink under-age, it's hard to say it reflects in any way on their upbringing.

But, by the rules of journalism, it merited a story.

Ditto in this instance.

Anyone's child can get into trouble, doesn't warrant to hide name because of a position held. If it were our kids our names would be published why shouldn't his?

And, given Judge D's prominence--he IS, after all, a public figure and one charged with dishing out punishment to lawbreakers--when his son, all of 20 years old, breaks into a prominent city landmark and steals a few thousand bucks worth of stuff, well, the news story writes itself.

To not write it this way would have been journalist malpractice--and, as IKnooow noted, would have led to charges of favoritism for a popular public official.

Waaayyyyy back in my college days, I remember taking a journalism course for kicks. One of the first lessons was on what makes a news story newsworthy. I googled around, and that list is still out there:

ww w.mediacollege.co m/journalism/news/newsworthy.html

Note one of the five factors is "prominence."

Rodney kind of had to write the lead that way.

Goes to show you that it dosen't matter who your parents are...all kids can be very stupid! Hopefully this teach them a lesson and "learn" from it.