NFTF: Diabilo Misses The Point On Time Traveler Stories

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Posted by Michael Archangeli (contributor), June 23, 2005 at 11:25 pm

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As anyone who reads local news of late has no doubt noticed, David Diabilo has covered at least two recent stories about a "time traveler" (he capitalizes the phrase, I don't know why) identified twice by Betty Washington of Danville. I have two problems with this trend. First: how is it that Betty Washington of Danville was present for the events central to the first story, and has photographic evidence of the peripheralized events central to the second story? It is clear to me, at least, that Betty Washington figures far more prominently in these stories than Diabilo is willing to acknowledge -- or, perhaps, admit.

When I say that the events of the second story are peripheralized, what I mean is that the real center of that story is not Betty Washington's desire to eradicate all non-indigenous species from the 925 (and possibly all of California, though this begs the question: is Washington herself truly "indigenous"?); the real center of that story, the nugget if you will, is that the "time traveler" was spotted for a second time. Perhaps Diabilo had to get it past his editors somehow, or perhaps he is trying to protect Betty Washington or obscure her direct connection to this "time traveler."

My second problem with this trend is simple: while I do not mean to imply any diabolical intent on Diabilo's part (hmmm ... ), I think that in the interest of journalistic integrity, Diabilo should come out with the truth. If his editors can't handle it, maybe he should consider working for editors with the cojones to publish stories that don't always have a satisfying ending. Frankly, mystery will raise readership. I confess to a degree of obsession on this subject, and so I throw down my gauntlet:

David Diabilo, do you have the courage to share what you really know, or to join me in search of more information on this "time traveler"?

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