As I noted yesterday, the New York Times ran this caption alongside an article about opposing pro- and anti-war demonstrations at a street corner in Delaware:
Jeffery Broderick, foreground, standing alone last week in support of United States troops as demonstrators for peace occupy an opposite corner.
This language clearly suggests that Broderick "alone" supports the troops and that anti-war protesters do not.
Joel Wiles, the reader who alerted me to the caption, sent an email about his concerns to Clark Hoyt, the new public editor of the Times, and already got a response in which Hoyt agreed that the caption was inappropriate:
Dear Joel Wiles,
Thank you for your message regarding the caption under a picture in yesterday's New York Times.
I agree with you that the wording suggests that only the man holding a sign in support of U.S. troops was supporting them and that the peace demonstrators were, by implication, opposing the troops. One can oppose the Bush Administration's policy in Iraq while supporting the troops ordered to carry out that policy.
I'm passing your complaint along to the newspaper's Standards Editor for his consideration.
I appreciate hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Clark Hoyt
When Hoyt was appointed, I cheered. So far, so good.
(Note: Wiles provided me with Hoyt's response.)
Update 5/31 2:39 PM: Media Matters has an article up on the caption as well.
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