The Bee, the bloggers and Pierre Bordenave

It's Sept. 23 and, as I peruse the Bee, I see the bloggers seldom if ever, take a day off. There are already 20 responses to Saturday's headlines regarding the Army Corps draft permit and more to come I'm sure. The main stay of bloggers' interest still seems to be the Bee's recent expose (more than 40 responses, surely a record) of a local resident/activist (Pierre Bordenave) whose main vulnerability will likely prove to be his candor and involvement in many local causes and organizations. You know the saying: get involved, get hammered. Not one of the blogs, pro or con, mentioned that most of his work is gratis.

I'm sure I see this incident much differently than Mr. Bordenave and his supporters. I actually see no slander or smear. What I see is the reality of today's journalism that is pressed for time and space.

There is never going to be enough time or space for the "whole story." I don't want the whole story; my life is boring enough. I want enough out of the story to peak my interest and if so inclined, set me off on a fact-finding mission to sniff out the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Is there a message here? I believe so. Did Pierre pay a price? Yes, indeed. Like it or not this is Mayberry, U.S.A., where privacy is much less a commodity than the "whole story," where slinging mud at your neighbor is considered par for the course. Caution: Get involved at your own risk.

BILL LITSINGER

Sandpoint