I was quite disappointed by the headline of a recent article entitled “Citing pot and panhandlers, Northampton’s ConVino Wine Bar owner plans closure.” (Gazette, Aug. 9)
While the owner did discuss the effects of New England Treatment Access and panhandling on the business scene in Northampton, the actual content of her words was much more nuanced and intelligent.
At a time when this issue is raw and divisive in this community, I believe that your headline added fuel to a fire that needs no help burning, and really missed an opportunity to discuss this topic in a thoughtful and productive way.
I wonder if your intentions were to elicit sensationalist tendencies that are all too common in today’s media. I wonder what the headline would have read if the intention had been to help people have more insight into a complex issue that needs greater understanding and community discussion.
Jon Aronstein
Northampton