Charleston (WV) columnist canned over personal blog

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! · Oct 30, 2014

Don Surber, caustic longtime columnist for Charleston Daily mail, was canned today for insensitive comments made on his personal blog. Surber referred to Michael Brown (Ferguson Mo. kid) as an animal who had to be put down.

On Saturday, Don Surber, the West Virginia paper's lone editorial columnist, took to his personal blog to offer his thoughts on "police brutality" and the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.
"This summer I had an epiphany as I watched packs of racists riot in Ferguson, Missouri, in support of a gigantic thug who was higher than a kite when he attacked Ferguson Police Department Officer Darren Wilson, who unfortunately had to put this animal down," Surber wrote.
By Sunday morning, Surber appended an update to the top of the post and crossed out the final phrase of the sentence.
"I made a factual error. Michael Brown was not an animal but a man. Big. Brutal. High," Surber wrote in the update. "His death was a justifiable homicide and not a putting down."
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Charleston Gazette - took him to task and things spread from there. Today Surber was canned.

Editor and Publisher Brad McElhinny's blog statement

The point of view of The Charleston Daily Mail’s editorial page is conservative.
It’s the kind of conservative that believes in the power of the individual. That is, each individual has the possibility to flourish, succeed and prosper.
That’s why it was so disheartening to see the careless words of one of our own editorial writers describing a young man whose life ended tragically too soon.
Writing on his own personal blog, Don Surber discussed the tense race-related situation in Ferguson Missouri. He selected words that were unfortunate, inflammatory and, in our view, inexcusable.
It’s his own blog, but still, he’s known as a Daily Mail editorial columnist and many readers seemed to perceive the views stated to reflect on the Daily Mail’s editorial policy.
They don’t. And this newspaper is working to rebuild the community’s trust.
As of this week, Mr. Surber is no longer employed by the Daily Mail. While his sometimes controversial and caustic columns were noted by many readers, few readers realize the in-depth institutional knowledge and substantial contributions he made during his 30 year career here.
We thank him for his service and we wish Mr. Surber good luck.
And we wish for readers to continue to look to and trust the Daily Mail for informed commentary on conservative causes such as limited government, fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and individual rights.
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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/don-surber-michael-brown-animal-put-down-charleston-daily-mail-apologizes

JC · Oct 30, 2014

I look forward to Paynenpearse post on how this is a first amendment issue.

Ace · Oct 30, 2014

He's lucky he was just canned and not put down. ... Although if he is personally familiar with Michael Brown, I apologize.

Doc Holliday · Oct 30, 2014

Can't argue with their decision. He earned his pink slip.

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Charleston (WV) columnist canned over personal blog

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! Well-Known Member

JC Well-Known Member

Ace Well-Known Member

Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

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Charleston (WV) columnist canned over personal blog

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! Well-Known Member

JC Well-Known Member

Ace Well-Known Member

Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

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