News choices

While the discussion of “fake news” is kinda old news, I was struck by the choices made by the Journal Sentinel on Sept. 20 as to what news was truly important and of interest to local readers.

The front page shouted “Trump’s wall facing big obstacles.” Once inside, we were also treated to another major article, “Few in GOP support wall funding.” Again on Sept 21, the front page blared “For human smugglers border wall will demand new tactics.”

Both articles obviously advocated against any type of wall structure being built to secure our southern border. We were told that the ebb and flow of border commerce would be greatly reduced. Land owners would be harassed by “big government” as they seized ranch land in imminent domain cases. Jaguars would become extinct. Tomatoes would double in price.

We were told repeatedly that we should feel sorry for the poor migrants who are trying to enter the United States illegally because the price they pay to the smugglers and coyotes would increase dramatically, and the smugglers may no longer afford multiple homes and fancy cars.

Again, while this was not “fake news,” the bigger story was what was hidden in the news on the same day. Veryoften, the “fake” nature of news is not what is reported but, more important, what is not reported.

While over seven pages was devoted to convincing readers that the secure border with a wall was a bad idea, only several column incheswas devoted to the story on Sept. 20, “18 arrested in drug operation.” This drug operation had its roots in Mexico and then moved through California to Chicago and ultimately Milwaukee.

Our state and all our communities struggle with a horrendous rate of deaths from heroin abuse, fentanyl abuse and prescription drug abuse often started with early marijuana usage. What would it take to provide readers with some strong front-page investigative journalism about the open borders Mexican connection to all these problems and deaths?

Allan J. Knepper Delafield