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I sent the following:

Dear Mr Tira,

I have been following the scandal at The Miami Herald with some interest and frankly a good deal of amazement. Tom Fieldler's most recent comments regarding the scandal (see the title of this email) only serve to highlight the depths of incompetence and misunderstanding that lie within your organization. It might be significant to remind ALL of your employees that every American belongs to some ethnic, religious or social group that has at one point been the target of exclusion. When an organization such as yours offends its customers in such a way, it is NOT appropriate to blame the messenger. It is appropriate to apologize for the behavior, solve the problem and make sure that policies and proceedures are in place that it not happen again. Those in management that would blame us the customers should simply resign.... they ARE the problem and are demonstrating that they cannot be part of the solution.

I am an Irish-American. My family came to Baltimore in the eighteenth century. My mother's father was Director of the Commonwealth Fund in NYC from its inception in 1920 until his death in 1952. My first wife was a Latin-American. I include these biographical details to highlight the broad range of American society that editorial insensitivity can offend.

-John O'Donnell
Portsmouth, RI USA

The Miami Herald. "Rag" is too good a word for it. I'm still waiting for Mr. Fiedler to reply to my email of two months ago regarding Oscar Corral's blog's comment policy. I guess he's too busy boning up on his memorable phrases to bother answering.

As soon as I break for lunch, I'll be all over this. Disgusting remark, can you imagine if he'd referred to any other ethnic group in such a derogatory bigoted manner? His head would be on a platter.

As soon as I break for lunch, I'll be all over this. Disgusting remark, can you imagine if he'd referred to any other ethnic group in such a derogatory bigoted manner? His head would be on a platter.

This Fiedler dude should be run outa town. I wouldn't fret too much for him over losing his job, after all, he's got the perfect credentials for the NY Slimes!

Agreed, the "chihuahuas niping at our heels thing was offensive. Agreed Fiedler should not be tolerated for the way he dismisses all the cancelled subscriptions and outrage in the huge Cuban-American community his paper caters to... as though it didn't happen.

But am I alone in thinking it may be reading to much into it when we associate being called "chihuahuas" with our being Hispanic? I could be wrong, but I think the idea was probably that since chihuahuas are so small, they nip at your heels when they bit you. I'm not looking to insult anyone's intelligence here, as I know that the smallness of a chihuahua is common knowledge.. I'm just wondering if the charges of explicit (not implied) racism are going a bit overboard.

Regardless, his comment shows carelessness, insensitivity, and a failure to grasp the severity of how deep in the wrong Fiedler at the Herald have been since day one of this thing.

Tom Fiedler’s high-pitch whinny voice was heard this morning on WQBA Radio during an interview with Bernadette Pardo and Guillermo Benitez. It was later rebroadcast by Ninoska Perez Castellon on Radio Mambi at 3 PM.

Here are some excerpts of what he said about calling Cuban Americans "little chihuahuas":

Fiedler: "The reference was primarily to another station, Radio Mambi, where we have been under attack for several weeks for some ludicrous allegations that we are a tool of the Castro government."

Fiedler: "I realize now that to chose the word I chose was absolutely inappropriate. . . I was not aware that I would be insulting anyone."

Fiedler: "It’s a little audience [Radio Mambi] and they are like little dogs that just snap at your ankles."

Bernadette Pardo: "I don’t know if you have seen Arbitron, but Radio Mambi has a considerable audience more than 22 people."

Fiedler: "I was being hyperbolic. It was like a locker room talk to the staff."

Guillermo Benitez: "You have poked a Great Dane in the eye."

Fiedler: "That may be. I apologize for an ethnic insult . . . We do not need to be apologetic to that radio station."

Mr. Fiedler can be reached at tfiedler@miamiherald.com

Mr. Peter Tira,

I would like to start off by saying that I am deeply offended by the choice of words by Mr. Tom Fielder in today's article, "A column, a quarrel-and change at the top" written by Douglas Hanks. I understand that he has apologized for his choice of words, but the damage has been done as it was when the Miami Herald came out with a shady article on September 8 that smeared well respected journalists. I don't care if it was "locker room" talk, as he says, the point is that it came out of his mouth. This is the same guy who has supreme control of what is OK to send to the publisher. I am so glad I cancelled my subscription when I did.

It is a shame that the Miami Herald has a racist and a bigot as an Executive Editor. The term "Chihuahua" is very derogatory towards us, Hispanics! Would Mr. Fiedler EVER use the "N" word to refer to the Miami Herald's African-American audience? I DON'T THINK SO! Would Mr. Fielder EVER refer Anglo-Americans as the "KKK"? I DON'T THINK SO! Does Mr. Tom Fiedler think that he is in the 1970's, when Cuban migrants were something new to the current residents of Miami?

I can't believe how stupid can an individual be to say comments like that after the rough three weeks the Miami Herald just went through. As I did when the shady article came out last month, I will make it a personal goal to let everyone know how much of a racist YOUR Executive Editor is. You being a business man must know that the best advertising is word of mouth. Considering that Mr. Jesus Diaz, Jr. resigned because of the September 8 article debacle, I expect nothing less from the McClatchy Company in regards to Mr. Tom Fiedler derogatory and racist comments towards Hispanics. We, the Cuban community, will not take anymore slaps in the face or insults from the Miami Herald! With the bite we are going to give Mr. Tom Fiedler, he is going to realize that what just bit him was not a Chihuahua, but a Pitbull! I want Mr. Tom Fiedler to resign or get fired!

Thanks,
A former Miami Herald subscriber and a proud Cuban

A great Dane? He has no idea...

Here´s my letter-

Peter Tira
Communications Director
The McClatchy Company

Re: Tom Fiedler, Executive Editor Miami Herald

Mr. Tira,

The story published by the Miami Herald, “A column, a quarrel – and change at the top”, contained the following disgusting bigoted quote from the Herald’s Executive Editor:

‘‘The 22 people who listen to Cuban radio'' were being stirred up by ''little chihuahuas nipping at our heels.''

This comment directed at a large majority within the community the Miami Herald serves is unacceptable, as is Mr. Fiedler’s feeble apology.

The slur is well understood in the Hispanic community, it’s horrible, as bad as any epithet you can think of to insult a group of people.

This display of obvious disdain and bias against the very community he serves renders Mr. Fiedler unfit for the position he holds. I demand that Mr. Fiedler be removed from his position as Executive Editor of the Miami Herald.

Ziva Sahl,

Editor, www.blogforcuba.com
Contributing writer, www.babalublog.com

this is what the herald is good for most of the time, to wrap this:

http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/fish/divers/mullet.jpg

Mr. Tira,

I'm sure that at this point your inbox is full of emails from furious Cubans and so I hope you realize the extent of damage Mr. Fiedler's comment made in a "locker room" style talk. The comment in question was printed in the story titled "A column, a quarrel - and a change at the top" where Mr. Fiedler refers to Cuban-Americans in an uproar ''little chihuahuas nipping at our heels.'' The fact that he was "unaware" of a potential insult seems to drive home the fact that he is not fit to be editing. It was a highly inappropriate comment and a sign of his lack of qualifications. You would do well to hire an editor who IS "aware."
Supposing the group in question were not Cubans, but Muslims making "ludicrous allegations" and the comment not "chihuahuas nipping" but "camels spitting," would a bigger effort be made to rectify the damage? What do us Cuban-Americans need to do to be taken seriously by the newspaper that serves one of the largest Cuban-American communities in the United States? Apparently, we must first bite.

Amy Hohneker
A Proud Cuban-American

FIEDLER PUTS HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH

POST SCRIPTUM

Por Robert A. Solera, ex Traductor, ex Editor de Mesa, El Nuevo Herald

The Miami Herald, ahora bajo nueva égida administrativa, de su recién nombrado Presidente y Editor David Landsberg, no parece haber aprendido nada con la lección que la comunidad cubana le ha dado con el espinoso y desagradable incidente del despido de tres periodistas.

El Vice Presidente y Editor Ejecutivo Tom Fiedler comentando sobre lo acontecido, en un artículo de Douglas Hanks, que aparece hoy [Octubre 4] en The Miami Herald pero no en El Nuevo Herald, intitulado "A column, a quarrel - and change at the top": --"In staff meetings Tuesday, Miami Herald reporters asked whether the paper was caving to critics. Editor Tom Fiedler dismissed that notion, saying the ''22 people who listen to Cuban radio'' were being stirred up by ''little chihuahuas nipping at our heels.'' He later apologized for his choice of words."

Fiedler, al parecer, no cree, primero, que el número de radioescuchas que hablan y entienden castellano son muy numerosos, cosa bien discutible para cualquiera que viva en el sur de la Florida --somos una poderosa minoría que asciende a cerca o más del 50% de los habitantes de Miami-Dade y la industria radial en AM en esta zona es mayoritariamente hispana, hecho que ni siquiera es necesario enfatizar. Nuevas estaciones de televisión como el Canal 41--America TV, el Mega22 y el recientemente inaugurado Canal 8-WGENTV se han sumado a las antiguas Univisioó y Canal 51, lo que da idea de la importancia del mercado hispanohablante.

Segundo, Fiedler utiliza un lenguaje repudiado por otras minorías que han desterrado de su vocabulario, la palabra N... para no ofender a los negros americanos y no se refieren a otros grupos raciales con epítetos acuñados en el pasado, como "kraut" o "spic" o "brogue".

Fiedler menciona derogatoriamente "little chihuahuas nipping at our heels" que nos hacen recordar a "Speedy González" --referencia a los mexicanos-- o la imagen de un niño negro comiendo sandías al borde de la carretera en el profundo sur de los Estados Unidos, años ha.

Este país que continuamente ofrece, casi en forma obligatoria, cursos de sensibilidad racial y étnica --a los que incurren en la ira popular por sus insensibles palabras-- debía ofrecer a Tom Fiedler, de The Miami Herald, la oportunidad de participar en uno de ellos para ver si --no lo creemos-- aprende a respetar a "los otros".

Por supuesto, como se dice en inglés "an apology is in order" o en buen romance, es necesaria y Fiedler le debe, una disculpa al público hispanohablante con énfasis en la minoría cubana, la más ofendida por esta nueva muestra de racismo, que algunos creían, equivocadamente, difunta y enterrada.

I sent them the following:

Subject: Arrogant and Condescending

Tom Fiedler’s disdain for the Cuban-American community can not be ignored. He should resign from his post at the Herald as it is obvious that his low opinion of us Cuban-Americans will continue to harm our community and the Herald going forward. I am sure he can find a job with the New York Times more in line with his anti-Cuban thinking.

Give David Landsberg a fair chance at his big challenge, dump Tom Fiedler today!

Frustratedly,

Jose I. Aguirre
Miami Herald Subscriber for many, many years

This is the reply that I received from Tom Fiedler...I guess he thinks it would be less ofensive if he called us "Boston Terriers."

Dear Ms. Salvador,

Below is a letter that I have prepared to respond to those who have brought this to my attention.

Tom Fiedler

_______

Dear reader,

I want to repeat my sincere apologies

for my ill-chosen metaphor and hyperbolic comments characterizing our critics

who take their cues from a particular Spanish-language radio station. I understood the question to be a

reference to Radio Mambi, which has relentlessly attacked this

newsroom for the past several weeks and stoked the ridiculous

charge that we are in league with the Cuban government.

The metaphor I groped for was that these critics should bother us no

more than pesky little dogs that yip and nip at ankles. Next

time I'll use Boston terriers.

I wasn't aware that when I spoke I would be giving insult to Hispanics.

Respectfully,

Tom Fiedler

Also, I guess in Mr. Fiedler's mind, he doesn't want to offend "Hispanics" he just wants to offend Cubans.

Mr. Tira,
"Little Chihuahuas nipping at his heels"?
What type of newspaper has the Miami Herald become? Do you condone this derogatory remark made by Mr. Tom Fiedler? Cuban-Americans voice a concern and are then put down in this manner?
Whay is going on at the Miami Hearld?
Have you lost control at that site?

Maybe Mr. Fiedler should shut up at this point.
"Critics who take their cues from a particular Spanish-language radio station." What a condescending ass, the radio station is merely addressing issues important to the community they represent, like whether or not the only newspaper in town can be trusted to publish the news in an unbiased ethical manner.

"Let the dogs bark. It's because we are moving forward." Don Quixote.

Herald publisher David Landsberg can be reached at: dlandsberg@miamiherald.com

Word is Fiedler will be publishing the following in tomorrow's paper.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR



Words are important. Using them properly is critical to me
as executive editor of this newspaper and to me personally. I am
conscious of the power of words to render good. And the power of
a word to create hurt.

I am guilty of the latter by way of an ill-chosen metaphor I
used during a newsroom staff meeting Wednesday that was
accurately reported in this newspaper.

My comment came in answer to a question as to whether the
newsroom should respond to relentless attacks by a local radio
station charging that The Miami Herald is in league with the
Castro regime. So ludicrous are the allegations that, although
they are frequent and noisy, no response was needed, I said.

To those readers who were offended, my sincere apology.

Fiedler is spinning like a pinwheel.

I gotta say that I'm having a hard time recalling when "chihuahuas" became synonimous with, associated with, or even part of something which is an automatic insult aimed at *Cubans* or *Cuban-Americans*.

Fiedler, imo, used an analogy that would be considered "insulting" or "bigotry" or all the other stuff everyone's been calling it mostly (only?) in and/or environment where extreme political correcteness is demanded and/or by people/groups who use anything, real or imagined or extrapolated anyone says to push their agenda and/or to play the "victim" card/role.

I'd like to think (I didn't think?) that Cubans/Cuban-Americans) fit into or heck, are even comfortable with any of the above.

So..if y'all don't mind..I'll refrain from making up the "No Chihuahua, No Peace" signs and sit out this protest about how the white anglo-saxon man who owns the media is bigoted, biased, and oppressive to us poor "Latinos" (a term I abhor, but which I'll use on this occassion cuz that's what y'all are acting like).

And don't anyone even think of coming after me like a bunch of yappy Havaneses because I'm disagreeing with you.

Tribilin

PS Say...is it true they're opening a chapter of La Raza in Hialeah in response to Fiedler's remarks?

I just read the apology issued by Fiedler. Personally, I think it's not good enough. Again, he's reminded us that the words were spoken in a staff meeting, like that somehow lessens their meaning when in fact I think just the opposite. If he said that in front of staff, what does he say privately in front of friends and family? There is no excuse, no justification, if he wants to salvage his reputation, then he should do the right thing and resign.

Ziva,
Fiedler is fiddling like Nero while Miami burns with ire.

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