gef the talking mongoose wrote:
Some days, I swear, it seems like I'm the only "journalist I respect" (& I haven't even been part of that field in the last 11 1/2 years!), so I get where you're coming from in that regard, Gary. And I have no quarrel with Tim Lucas on any other grounds whatosever, but, my god, I just can't get around his assertion that blatant serial plagiarism

boils down to a stupid mistake, repeated out of simple convenience until it caught up with her, and made in the first place because she's still young and fairly new to the rigors of professional writing.


What part of that sounds even remotely defensible to you? (Evidently, by the way, she's 30. That's certainly younger than me or probably most of the rest of us, but it ain't exactly junior high.)

Unlike me, of course, Taraco is still in the newspaper biz. David, would that sort of (ir)rationale fly at USA Today? It sure as heck wouldn't at the Gannett paper where I used to work as metro editor, or at the dailies I labored for before that.
  


As I said, I disagree with my friend's assessment. But even if I knew Tim only through his writings I would not use this episode to diminish him. I think he's earned that. And sure, I understand some people are disappointed with Tim's position. But I DO know Tim. I AM aware of his overall contributions to the genre. I know what kind of human being he is and I know what kind of editor he is (I've had the honor and pleasure to write for Video Watchdog). My concern is how the anonymity of the internet often breeds keyboard courage that mutates into character assassination. Knowing how much energy internet conflagrations drain, I doubt Tim will have much more--if anything--to add. Even to defend himself. I wish I had obtained that level of professionalism and discipline. But I don't. Tim can live with disagreement and proportionate criticism. But I do not believe Tim's stance justifies attacks that seem to aspire to instantly nullify a brilliant reputation and decades' worth of achievement. Writers and publishers are upset about the recent revelations of plagiarism and they have a right to be. But people need to watch out for collatoral damage and people should try to avoid acting like a bevy of tricoteuses sitting around the guillotine.



GARY L. PRANGE
I'm not all bad, just mostly.

"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectos nunc."