October 27, 2003: Headlines: COS - Kazakhstan : Safety and Security of Volunteers: Dayton Daily News: Response to Miranda Bryant by Kevin Marousek

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Special Reports: October 26, 2003: Dayton Daily News reports on Peace Corps Safety and Security: What RPCVs say about this Series on other Message Boards: October 27, 2003 - Dayton Daily News: Kazakhstan RPCV Kevin Marousek disagrees with Dayton Daily News Series : October 27, 2003: Headlines: COS - Kazakhstan : Safety and Security of Volunteers: Dayton Daily News: Response to Miranda Bryant by Kevin Marousek

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-37-25.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.37.25) on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:04 pm: Edit Post

Response to Miranda Bryant by Kevin Marousek

Response to Miranda Bryant by Kevin Marousek

Every town in Kazakhstan is heroin-infested. It's a nation with a drug problem. Timertau happens to be one of the worst. My host city of Pavlodar had guns in cafes and drug deals happening under my nose. I already pointed out that developing nations have increased risk factors.

Response to Miranda Bryant by Kevin Marousek

reply by Mr. Marousek By KevinMarousek
re: bombastic...

You'd have no way of knowing this, but to be called bombastic is a high compliment to me.

re: the job of newspapers to afflict the comfortable...

Wrong and wrong, and shame on you for suggesting that. It may be a writer's job to offend and enrage... in the world of novels. Newspapers and journalistic reporting are supposed to have different standards, and you know that.

re: being fed “niceties” by the Peace Corps...

I've yet to see a single instance when the Peace Corps fed me a "nicetie." I'm not sure why you put that word in quotes, but I thought I should as well in case someone owns the copyright on the word.

re: budding reporters taught to resort to childish name-calling...

I couldn't agree more... if I was writing a piece of journalism, which I am very clearly not. I am expressing outrage at a onesided piece of journalism, which is not journalism. The same rules do not apply (see the above comment about me liking to be called bombastic). Oh, and I, too, am a graduate of "j-school," though I can see how I confused you.

re: stories hardly “sell” newspapers...

While I only buy newspapers for the comics, I don't think I'm in the majority here. If people aren't buying newspapers to read the articles, why are they buying them? Obviously papers make money through advertising, but advertising is sold based on circulation which is how many people buy papers, regardless of the reason. With respect I don't get this point at all.

re: Mr. Marousek was not assaulted...

Who said that? I never said that. Not good to assume facts not in evidence.

re: volunteers serving in Timertau... seeing guns and drug deals...

Every town in Kazakhstan is heroin-infested. It's a nation with a drug problem. Timertau happens to be one of the worst. My host city of Pavlodar had guns in cafes and drug deals happening under my nose. I already pointed out that developing nations have increased risk factors.

re: held at gunpoint on a public bus...

I don't think it's my place to discuss the story you mentioned, but I hope those directly involved do. You did a nice job shaving the corners off the truth as I know it to be. One of the guys in question told us his firsthand account during my training. I won't say anymore about it than that.

re: a formal complaint against Peace Corps Kazakhstan...

Again, you may be too close to those involved here. There is more to what happened in this instance. I respectfully submit you should rethink before using their tale as a basis for your argument.

Ms. Bryant, don't mistake my sarcasm and offhand remarks for anything other than what they are. I think we're probably on the same side here. The Peace Corps should not be viewed through rose colored glasses, but it also doesn't need to be viewed through distorted lenses, which is what's happening in Dayton.





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Story Source: Dayton Daily News

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kazakhstan ; Safety and Security of Volunteers

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