As perhaps the final post to this thread - I E-Mailed the paper, expessing my outrage and revulsion AND THEY ACTUALLY RESPONDED. The following is what I sent:
From: Don Tope
[mailto:drtope@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 9:35 PM
To:
webmaster@nwclassifieds.com Subject: Stephan Byrne
Sirs,
I was dumfounded by the Obituary you ran praising the life and giving
meaning to the death of a monster. I can only assume that your
management is
brain-dead regarding the value of life, especially that of innocent
children. To permit the exaltation of this monster's life is an outrage.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE PAPER'S REPLY:
Mr. Tope
We appreciate you contacting us to share your view of the paid obituary
notice for Stephen Byrne. The decision to accept the notice was made by
The Seattle Times Company advertising department, which also represents
the Seattle P-I.
With paid death and funeral notices, the ad department verifies the
death and requires authorization of the notice by the family. Paid
obituaries are generally placed by a funeral home representing the
family, which was the case here. When the circumstances around this
notice came to our attention, we carefully reviewed acceptance of the
notice and sought additional assurance that all family members,
including the girls' mother, were okay with the notice. After receiving
that assurance, we made the determination to run the notice as
scheduled.
You may or may not agree with our decision but I hope you find this
additional information helpful.
Thanks for writing.
Corinne "Corky" Burr
Director of Classified Advertising
The Seattle Times
1120 John Street
Seattle. WA 98109
(206) 652-6611
cburr@seattletimes.com
OBviously a super liberal family and wife. A totally unfathomable response by those involved - At least to me.