The founder of a popular liberal Maine news outlet is wondering whether the New York Times is living under a rock. Or, more aptly, beneath a tree stump.
“One day, national reporters will start treating Maine as if it’s something more than a cute story out of a children’s book,” says Naomi Schalit. “Today is at least the 2nd time in one week that a NYTimes writer has called Troy Jackson a “’lumberjack.’”
Schalit, who co-founded The Maine Monitor, says she is shocked that the country’s alleged paper of record is so behind the times, no pun intended.
“Paul Bunyan was a lumberjack” Schalit says. “Troy Jackson is a logger, not a mythic character out of folktales and children’s books – national media, please take note!”
Schalit, now politics and legal affairs editor of The Conversation U.S., posted her widely read NYT takedown on LinkedIn, where she engaged followers similarly astonished at the paper’s archaic approach.
The Times recently reported that Maine Democrats ”have chosen an honest-to-God lumberjack” to take on five-term GOP Sen. Susan Collins.
Like, isn’t the New York Times supposed to be the gold standard of the use of language? That concept is as archaic as the Times copy editors, who need to update their 1950s-era New York Times Style Book.
“Don’t hold your breath for an attitude correction at the Times,” humphed retired Bowdoin College professor David Vail in a comment posted on Schalit’s column.
“Duly warned,” Schalit replied, adding that The Guardian is also now calling Troy of Allagash a “lumberjack.”
ABC News is also calling labeling Jackson “a liberal lumberjack,” evidence Maine is truly still a fable in the eyes of the world.
In truth, the outside perception of the Pine Tree State as a backwoods, incestuous enclave may actually benefit the modern-day Paul Bunyan of Allagash, Maine.
The more Democrats can paint Troy Jackson as an everyman alternative to a fake oyster farmer, the better he may fare against Collins this fall.
Jackson undoubtedly would take a hard pass in a etymological debate over whether he is a lumberjack or consanguineous.
Judging from the explosion of publicity over his sharing two sons with his second cousin, the everyman lumberjack would far prefer the archaic reference.
