Why Emphasize Ice Rink’s Buyer?

* The July 24 Orange County section’s lead story, “It’s Souls vs. Skates in Irvine,” has me incensed on many levels. The facts seem to be correct, but there is a very strong “spin” on those facts.

Why is the focus on a congregation purchasing a property instead of emphasizing that desperate ice rink operators are using unwarranted attacks on a religious group to distract from their own business venture gone awry? That is not so surprising. After all, it is uncomfortable to take responsibility for one’s own financial shortcomings. It is much easier to focus blame away from the real reason the ice rink is being sold. The congregation is a buyer for a property that Steve and Linda Coonan cannot pay rent on.

You should have been appalled at the ice rink operators’ actions and should have expanded on that instead of using valuable space to print a map showing locations of synagogues--a color map no less--which is irrelevant to the story but can certainly be inflammatory. I Your story certainly illustrates that anti-Semitism is still alive and going strong in Orange County and is given some added punch by a reporter who could bring some sensitivity to the issues but has instead gone for the cheap thrill.

MINA GRIEF

Mission Viejo