More actually. I took a few down when the people of WJ objected to all the bad stuff I was saying. Gives me a different perspective on journalism.. hard to please everyone.. or at least not piss somebody off.
As a proper journalist, Anni has an editor. That is probably a good thing.. although it could also be frustrating.
When you paint pictures with words ‘the devil (and the art) is in the details’. Every word is a piece of the the bigger picture.. or at least it should be. Sometimes it would be nice to have someone to help clear out the clutter: spelling errors, poor organization: stuff like that. Maybe tell you when to shut up.
But sometimes an editor can drain a piece of it's power. They certainly took out some of the color from a piece of Anni's recently: literally. That big orange KFC symbol seen worldwide: gone.
She had ‘painted’ the relationship/connection she was making between exercise, health, religion, responsibility and fast food by juxtapositioning KFC in a concrete prayer ground.
She was doing a lot of things in the piece though..
- the connection between health of the body with that of the spirit.
- how beauty goes beyond what we may see on the surface.
- the benefits of exercise and how anyone can do it.
- how women in a muslim country are moving forward and gracefully manage to value tradition.
It has made me think about KFC as a symbol of what is wrong with America. Around the world KFC contributes to the ill health and obesity of people society has the ability to protect. But it is a big, powerful, innocuous little beast: Everyone says 'get real.. it's fried chicken!" But KFC is so much more than that: it represents corporate America reaching out across the planet and spreading their 'religion' of sorts: gluttony, excess, illness. There is nothing good about fried anything.
But KFC has worked it's way around the world. The picture I have here is from Darwin. Anni was talking about the Middle East when she painted KFC into her picture. She didn't say anything directly, but it was there.
But KFC has worked it's way around the world. The picture I have here is from Darwin. Anni was talking about the Middle East when she painted KFC into her picture. She didn't say anything directly, but it was there.
When I was a kid KFC was just the acronym for Kentucky (America: money, power) Fried (over indulgence.. fat) Chicken (pathetic factory bred creatures). They have dropped it all except the letters.. it's a little more politicaly correct and just sells better. People don't say the word 'fried' too much anymore.
And this is all well and good: KFC should certainly be able to market their product. People should be able to buy it... if they chose to do so. We all have rights.. and responsibilities.
But Anni’s editor took KFC out of her piece, and so didn't allow her to paint her whole picture. It is still an interesting article, but on a hot dark night in the Middle East, KFC provided a splash of color to the piece, and another layer. And her editor nixed it.
But Anni’s editor took KFC out of her piece, and so didn't allow her to paint her whole picture. It is still an interesting article, but on a hot dark night in the Middle East, KFC provided a splash of color to the piece, and another layer. And her editor nixed it.
In Outback Australia people can't get to the KFC too often. Coke is actually a far bigger health hazard, and it is small and doesn't care how you store it. Coke bottles can be found laying out in the furthest reaches of the desert around here.
No recycling either.
Anni’s writing sometimes loses its punch as it passes through the editing process. But, in the long run, I think it makes her ride much smoother, quieter.. easier. No WJ dramas: Insha'allah.
I appreciate that there is an editor checking over her shoulder and taking on some of the responsibility for what she writes. She is writing for a Big Newspaper and has an enormous responsibility… don’t want to piss too many people off.
However, as a sistah, I find it frustrating when they pull out the heart of a piece of her writing.
However, as a sistah, I find it frustrating when they pull out the heart of a piece of her writing.
It says they missed the point. Or she missed making her point clear. Or they think the point is pointless. Or.. they are backing down from what is being expressed… who knows why.
Anyway… I admire and am so proud of this girl. And I am going to re-read and ‘edit’ my own articles about WJ that I took off and re-post them.
I have no right to make people feel badly, but I have every right, and even a certain degree of personal responsibility to write things as I see them. Besides, I have no one editing my pieces, so no excuse to not make every word count and ‘publish’ the whole picture.
Why not? I’ve done it 100 times before!
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