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World focuses on Cumberland
My hometown - Mom and sis are in the middle of this media circus......
CUMBERLAND - Following charges that members of Army Reserve Unit, 372nd Military Police Company of Cresaptown allegedly abused Iraqi prisoners, Cumberland and the surrounding area have been awash with reporters from national and international media, hoping to give their viewers, listeners and readers a look at the hometown of the accused.
"I had a reporter from a French paper ask me what it is about Cumberland that nurtured the kind of behavior that would result in the mistreatment of prisoners," said Ed Mullaney, co-manager of the Cumberland Town Centre. (And you people wonder why I turned out the way I did...... LMAO)
"I bristled at that, but rather than get defensive, I took him around town to meet some of the people and I told him to guard against sweeping generalizations. I introduced him to some of our Vietnam veterans and to Becky McClarran (mother of a soldier in the company). Later he came back and told me Cumberland was not what he had expected. He said most small towns in America don't have a focus and a heart like Cumberland." You got that right, snail breath.
Mullaney has been an obvious starting point for many out-of-town reporters.
"I try to make connections for them - hook them up with people who can answer their questions," Mullaney said.
Most reporters are seeking reactions from local residents, wanting to know how they felt when the news about the alleged crimes broke on April 28. They ask, too, whether the residents believe President Bush's response was adequate.
A focal point for many of the interviews has been Town Centre with film crews cornering Cumberlanders and others for a sound bite or film clip. And I'll bet my uncle is thinking about going up on the roof of the YMCA with his 30.06 at this point.
Media representatives have bombarded news managers at the Cumberland Times-News as well.
"I did an interview with Voice of America and the Baltimore Sun and will be doing one with BBC Radio," said Jan Alderton, managing editor. "BBC wanted me to do it live at 2 a.m., but I balked at that. We will tape it this afternoon instead," he said Thursday. Later Thursday, Alderton also was interviewed by Svedish Radio of the Swedish Broadcasting Corp.
Alderton said the interviewers are trying to capture a sense of what Cumberland people are like and how they reacted.
"They are particularly interested if people have an understanding of Middle East culture, and I told them that our understanding is not any greater or less than Americans throughout the country," he said.
City Editor Debbie Meyer has fielded many of the calls and dealt with many of the walk-in reporters including those from Finland, Sweden and Australia as well as American companies such as The Boston Globe, People Magazine and Good Morning America.
"They all want something different. Some want names. Others want photos. One wanted the letters we ran from soldiers," Meyer said. And people in Hell want ice water. Give 'em bupkis.
Farah Stockman, foreign affairs reporter for The Boston Globe who works out of Washington, was on her first trip to Cumberland.
"My beat is to cover the State Department, so I appreciate a chance to get out and talk with real people," Stockman said. "I'm trying to find out if people in the area think the soldiers and the story are being accurately portrayed.
"Cumberland is beautiful. I want to buy a house here," Stockman added. (Oh, God, please. no.....)
Christina Jamison, assistant to Chris Matthews, moderator of "Hardball," a news show on MSNBC, confirmed Thursday the desire to come to Cumberland and tape a town meeting during which area residents can react to the news about the incidents.
A plan to conduct that meeting Monday has fallen through. HA HA!
Michael A. Sawyers can be reached at msawyers@times-news.com.
CUMBERLAND - Following charges that members of Army Reserve Unit, 372nd Military Police Company of Cresaptown allegedly abused Iraqi prisoners, Cumberland and the surrounding area have been awash with reporters from national and international media, hoping to give their viewers, listeners and readers a look at the hometown of the accused.
"I had a reporter from a French paper ask me what it is about Cumberland that nurtured the kind of behavior that would result in the mistreatment of prisoners," said Ed Mullaney, co-manager of the Cumberland Town Centre. (And you people wonder why I turned out the way I did...... LMAO)
"I bristled at that, but rather than get defensive, I took him around town to meet some of the people and I told him to guard against sweeping generalizations. I introduced him to some of our Vietnam veterans and to Becky McClarran (mother of a soldier in the company). Later he came back and told me Cumberland was not what he had expected. He said most small towns in America don't have a focus and a heart like Cumberland." You got that right, snail breath.
Mullaney has been an obvious starting point for many out-of-town reporters.
"I try to make connections for them - hook them up with people who can answer their questions," Mullaney said.
Most reporters are seeking reactions from local residents, wanting to know how they felt when the news about the alleged crimes broke on April 28. They ask, too, whether the residents believe President Bush's response was adequate.
A focal point for many of the interviews has been Town Centre with film crews cornering Cumberlanders and others for a sound bite or film clip. And I'll bet my uncle is thinking about going up on the roof of the YMCA with his 30.06 at this point.
Media representatives have bombarded news managers at the Cumberland Times-News as well.
"I did an interview with Voice of America and the Baltimore Sun and will be doing one with BBC Radio," said Jan Alderton, managing editor. "BBC wanted me to do it live at 2 a.m., but I balked at that. We will tape it this afternoon instead," he said Thursday. Later Thursday, Alderton also was interviewed by Svedish Radio of the Swedish Broadcasting Corp.
Alderton said the interviewers are trying to capture a sense of what Cumberland people are like and how they reacted.
"They are particularly interested if people have an understanding of Middle East culture, and I told them that our understanding is not any greater or less than Americans throughout the country," he said.
City Editor Debbie Meyer has fielded many of the calls and dealt with many of the walk-in reporters including those from Finland, Sweden and Australia as well as American companies such as The Boston Globe, People Magazine and Good Morning America.
"They all want something different. Some want names. Others want photos. One wanted the letters we ran from soldiers," Meyer said. And people in Hell want ice water. Give 'em bupkis.
Farah Stockman, foreign affairs reporter for The Boston Globe who works out of Washington, was on her first trip to Cumberland.
"My beat is to cover the State Department, so I appreciate a chance to get out and talk with real people," Stockman said. "I'm trying to find out if people in the area think the soldiers and the story are being accurately portrayed.
"Cumberland is beautiful. I want to buy a house here," Stockman added. (Oh, God, please. no.....)
Christina Jamison, assistant to Chris Matthews, moderator of "Hardball," a news show on MSNBC, confirmed Thursday the desire to come to Cumberland and tape a town meeting during which area residents can react to the news about the incidents.
A plan to conduct that meeting Monday has fallen through. HA HA!
Michael A. Sawyers can be reached at msawyers@times-news.com.
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