For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 09, 2024

Decisions, decisions! Maybe if you make a few changes, to protect the story subject?

Publish it, and learn why readers don’t respect “journalists.”

Mike’s either lying or misremembering. His first words to his victim were, “Excuse me, sir . . . could I interview you for the student newspaper?”

gocomics.Com/forbetterorforworse/2024/01/25

Why are they overlooking the obvious? Change the guy’s name. That lets him be anonymous, but allows the story to be published.

That kid’s work desk reminds me of Cosmo’s in the “Shoe” strip. Only neater.

This kid is ahead of many of today’s professional “journalists” in that he still has some ethics. He’ll never get a job in today’s media.

Panel 2: Is that kid the son of Frankenstein?

Well, it’s not a news piece. He could pull it from this edition of the paper and have another go at persuading Mr Bergen. It would at least give him more time to think.

A real learning experience?

change the subject to something like: An Immigrant’s Trail to Freedom… then use ambiguous identifiers for the subject. Come on Mike; it’s Journalism 101

Ah, the perils of reaching adulthood.

Years ago I was in a vintage clothing store with my very small daughter and there was a journalist interviewing the owner for a newspaper piece. My daughter was trying on hats while I tried on some clothing and the journalist took the cutest picture of her with my permission. When I went home my husband had a cow and made me go back and tell the journalist we were withdrawing permission. Of course I didn’t get a copy of the picture. In today’s world you would even think of this…

Last panel: that could be me letting loose on the effectiveness of today’s US Congress.

Looking back at Michael’s facial (giggity) hair the last few months I’ve come to the following conclusion

“SPOILERS!! AHEAD

Micheal never becomes a journalist. His future career is as The Watchmen’s Rorschach.

AAAAAAUGHHH! Translation: But I have no judgment. In the meantime Charlie Brown hears this and thinks, “Hey! That’s my line. Also, how do you say that with your tongue sticking out of your mouth like that?”

He DID ask him “Can I interview you for the school paper?” Now he’s saying he never said anything about the paper?

This must be before most “journalists” lost all their morals.

Ugh oh! Looks like Michael experiencing a moral dilemma.

Check the cartoon on January 25th. The first thing he said to the the janitor was that he would like to interview for the school newspaper. I do not have an opinion one way or another, but he did tell the janitor it was for the newspaper.

It seems Mr. Bergner DID know he was being interviewed for the student newspaper. Go ahead and publish, Mike. University is supposed to be a learning experience.

Can it be published with the name changed, stating that the person interviewed wishes to remain anonymous?

Ah yes Michael, it is hard sometimes to reconcile the things you want with what you know is the right thing to do. All too often people choose what they want over doing the right thing.

ethics

The original Christopher Robin hated his father, A. A. Milne, for writing C.R.’s stories about Winnie-the-Pooh.

Aaaannndddd….the editor drops it right back in Mike’s lap.

Isn’t THAT a pretty bucket of sardines.

Mike’s in COLLEGE, correct? 99% of professors will give you an extension if someone like Micheal lies and said he started the paper, but later learned he couldn’t publish it! It’s a pretty white lie honestly.

My first superior officer had these words for me which I have also used in civilian life. Maybe this can apply to Michael’s conundrum.

“If you have to think twice about it, it is usually the wrong course of action.”

He has a conscience, so he’s not cut out for politics

Soon enough Michael is going to have to realize the only important part of his life. Ergo, he is going to have to answer everything he does with this question

“What’s that doing to put food on my table?”

Ah, the pain of the ethical dilemma. In this case, of course, the right thing is pretty obvious. If Mike’s source doesn’t want his story published, that’s his call. It’s his story. If he were an important public figure and the story would have a major impact on human affairs, that might be different.

At least Elizabeth will have an easier job. All she needs to do to teach in a First Nations village is learn how to do the Tomahawk chop of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Just remember not to blow her whole paycheck at the Indian casino!

Stay on the ethical side of the street, Mike. If the guy does not want it published, he has the right to say so, and a journalist has to respect that decision. He might give you something better down the road.

Most people who read this strip come to see ALF. This strip has nothing do with ALF. As every Canadian knows, that can only mean:

April

Lawrence

Farley

Did the artist forget all of Mike’s mustache in panel 2?

Michael looks Amish in the second panel.

If the man doesn’t want his personal life story published it would be reprehensible to do so.

Michael is facing his first genuine test of ethics…

There may be a reason for not wanting the story published. Maybe it would put him in danger. Maybe, he made it all up.