I don't know what's funnier... The man in the article, or the newspaper who printed the article... Times Leader | 09/16/2004 | W-B man: 'Witches are trying to kill me' To hear Jake Jenkins tell it, he's battening down the hatches in a battle against evil. As he opens the door on his Waller Street home, the sound of scraping metal and wood escapes through the cracks. He's pulling back the bars and beams that keep his family secure. And the witches out. "Yeah, wood and steel," he said, standing in the open doorway. "Nobody's getting in." Jenkins, 51, and his wife spend much of their time hunkered down in their two-story home along with their eight children ranging in ages from 22 years to 1. He said he home-schools his children. "I'm no fool."
Why on earth the Times Leader would publish such a bizarre article, I have no idea. The man is clearly either an eccentric looking for attention, or possibly in need of some medication. It's kind of sad. And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so... according to the same paper's reader "Sayso" column: Times Leader | 09/18/2004 | SAYSO IN OVER 10 years of getting your paper, I've never seen something as asinine on the front page, an exclusive, "Witches are trying to kill me." Are you serious? And obviously I hope you guys got a good amount of money for this article, otherwise I have no idea what value journalistically or to your readers it would possibly have. And since you printed "bastards" in the article, I'm assuming you'll print "asinine" in the SAYSO. Editor's note: We received similar calls, some of which drew conclusions about the man who spoke in the article about trying to shield his eight home-schooled children from witches, in part by keeping them in the house. We got on to the story by asking questions about an odd, anti-witch display in a city neighborhood. Jenkins decided to describe his fears and to talk about his children. Do you think we should have simply held on to such information? Isn't it our job to let people know what's going on, especially with children involved?
Clearly they did the article in a very sensationalistic way... I don't know how anybody could deny that. Times Leader | 09/17/2004 | He's wary of witches and of being labeled a 'lunatic' A man who spoke about his fear of witches says he's concerned his comments will prompt the county's child-welfare agency to conduct an unwarranted investigation of his family. Jake Jenkins said a story in Wednesday's Times Leader made him sound "like I'm crazy." He didn't deny talking to a reporter about what he believes is his battle against evil, but he said he thought his name wouldn't be used and that he could give a "generic story about the witches out there." "Now I'm going to be under investigation because the story makes me sound like a lunatic."
Right on - the story does make him sound like a lunatic. Whether he's suffering from some grave mental illness or not, is for psychiatrists to determine, of course. (Thanks to Amy G. for the link)
posted by Chloe | Monday 20 September 2004 3:21 PM
That is a very disturbing article.
Posted by Lee Ann | Monday 20 September 2004 10:42PM
the article has been MeFi'd.
Posted by the Other michael | Tuesday 21 September 2004 10:55AM
Was that my fault? Because my post was earlier than the MeFi post... And I'm worried I'm now responsible for the "Pennsyltucky" comments being made about my area on the internet. :(
I did find some of the comments amusing - "This stuff about witches sounds like bunk. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's almost time for Festival and I must bow to the will of Landru...
posted by alumshubby". heh. And "My hometown! Yep, absolutely full of witches.
(Other facts about Wilkes-Barre: it has the highest ratio of funeral homes per capita in the US. Also near the Pocono Mountains, home of the cheesy heart-shaped hot tub and honeymoon capitol of the world!) posted by onlyconnect"
The thing is, I resent that the population is being censured. It's not the people as much as it is the silliness of the newspaper. What on god's green earth was the Times Leader thinking???
Posted by Chloe | Tuesday 21 September 2004 2:52PM
Here's a guy who thinks the 'Times Leader' is doing a good job, and insists we must ferret out people people who the newspapers deem crazy, and keep watch on them, just in case: Diner at Penda's Realm.
(He also insists the city of Wilkes-Barre is "rural". Though I guess he doesn't know what the word "rural" means - or maybe by "having been through Wilkes-Barre" - he means he saw a sign for Wilkes-Barre while he was driving through the mountains on the PA Turnpike.)
Posted by Chloe | Monday 08 November 2004 1:37PM
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That is a very disturbing article.
the article has been 
Was that my fault? Because my post was earlier than the MeFi post... And I'm worried I'm now responsible for the "Pennsyltucky" comments being made about my area on the internet. :(
