Is this the face of genealogy? Is this truly what the public sees in their mind’s eye when they hear the word genealogy?
The Rub
In a recent event article at the LAWeekly website, the above photo was used in a brief article about the upcoming Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree being held in Burbank, California from June 10-12, 2011. I’ll be there as well as close to 70 other members of GeneaBloggers.
What I don’t know is whether there will be any new visitors to Jamboree this year, especially if they saw the LA Weekly article. My first thoughts are:
- What were they thinking?
- Did the author Skylaire Alfvegren actually select the photo or perhaps it was some smart-aleck editor? The way the text is written, with the byline Gene Genies, I think that this is more the work of an editor.
- What were they thinking?
A quick search of the image on Google Images shows that the photo used is not even the original work of LAWeekly. This also reinforces my suspicion that a young, inexperienced editor who believes everything is free on the Internet just lifted the image from another site and slapped it on the copy.
What You Can Do
I urge readers of GeneaBloggers to send a letter to the editor of the LAWeekly using their online form at http://www.laweekly.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters. I don’t often make these “calls for action” but we as genealogists and family historians have a responsibility – especially to the younger people – to show them exactly what is the face of genealogy.
I Am The Face of Genealogy
Also, I’m asking that every genealogy blogger put up their favorite ancestor photo with the simple post title “This Is The Face of Genealogy.” Together, hopefully we can turn this offensive piece into a win situation for the genealogy community.
Comments 37
Amen Thomas! I sent them a letter yesterday after Bill West posted the link to the email address.
They should definitely be ashamed of themselves.
Since I absolutely LOVE Jamboree, I’ll be making a post when I get home from church.
-Elyse
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 10:30 ¶Thanks Thomas I saw this post earlier just didn’t catch the link.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 10:39 ¶http://omchorations.blogspot.com/2011/06/these-are-faces-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 10:41 ¶http://garrisonfamilyroots.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 11:57 ¶Unbelievable and so sterotypical!
http://desperatelyseekingsurnames.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 12:16 ¶Done! Letter sent and post created.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 12:20 ¶Here is my article reflecting my true Face of Genealogy!
http://gtownma.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/the-face-of-genealogy-roaten-style/
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 12:41 ¶http://genealogyresearchservice.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 12:51 ¶http://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 13:00 ¶http://wellerharvey.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/the-face-of-genealogy/
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 13:41 ¶http://www.blog.genhistory.net/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 13:54 ¶Here’s my post.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 13:58 ¶Letter sent to editor…done.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 14:10 ¶I notice they removed the photo. That didn’t take to long…
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 14:15 ¶Boy, oh boy did that work quick! At 3:15 pm EST the childish and offensive picture with this article has now been changed to a picture of the SCGS Jamboree Iphone app!
Way to go guys!
My contribution to the face of genealogy can be found at:http://debsresearch.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Thanks Thomas for alerting me to these bone-heads!
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 14:24 ¶Thomas, I think someone got the message because the photo that you have above in your post is gone from the LAWeekly post. It was replaced with a photo of the “Jamboree app” on an iphone.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 14:32 ¶I’d say that was a successful call to action!
FACES OF GENEALOGY
http://immortalnobodies.blogspot.com/
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 15:01 ¶Is This The Face of Genealogy? The @LAWEEKLY Gets It Wrong http://su.pr/2Bw340 #genealogy
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 15:24 ¶Is This The Face of Genealogy? The @LAWEEKLY Gets It Wrong http://su.pr/2Bw340 #genealogy
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 15:46 ¶will do! RT @geneabloggers: Is This The Face of Genealogy? The @LAWEEKLY Gets It Wrong http://su.pr/2Bw340 #genealogy
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 15:52 ¶RT @geneabloggers: Is This The Face of Genealogy? The @LAWEEKLY Gets It Wrong http://su.pr/2Bw340 #genealogy.
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 16:21 ¶Here’s mine:
http://rootsandrambles.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 16:32 ¶The Face of Genealogy http://bit.ly/j04z1u
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 16:37 ¶http://digitalcemeterywalk.blogspot.com/
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 17:16 ¶The Face of Genealogy http://t.co/90SDpt6
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 17:53 ¶My Post is at http://lemaisonduchamp.blogspot.com/
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 17:53 ¶@LAWeekly has offended many w/article. Read : http://bit.ly/jQ9353 . Call to action: Post your Face of #Genealogy at: http://on.fb.me/msqhfk
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 18:46 ¶http://cmgurney.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 18:49 ¶http://itjustnevercameup.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-my-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 19:26 ¶Even though I’m late, I’m piling on!
http://fantastic-electrisoil.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 20:20 ¶I’ve been out most of the day, but here’s mine!
http://diaryofamadgenealogist.blogspot.com/2011/06/this-is-face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 21:11 ¶I was traveling today, so didn’t hear about this until tonight. Here’s my post: http://www.asenseoffamily.com/2011/06/face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 05 Jun 2011 at 22:59 ¶I was away for the weekend, but my post is here: http://reflectingongenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/06/face-of-genealogy.html
Posted 06 Jun 2011 at 12:15 ¶Someone pointed out to me that the young man on the right is wearing, what appears to be, a Celtic United (Scottish soccer team) jacket. Appears the picture was only chosen for it’s shock value. Pfft. All in all, I think we showed what the true face of genealogy is.
Posted 06 Jun 2011 at 13:31 ¶Boy! They must have gotten a deluge of complaints. Photo off now, but this was an unbelievable breach of good judgment — just plain dumb and cruel. I’ll be posting my face of genealogy soon. Was out of town and just catching up.
Posted 10 Jun 2011 at 11:49 ¶Boy! They must have gotten a deluge of complaints (including mine). Photo off now, but this was an unbelievable breach of good judgment — just plain dumb and cruel. I’ll be posting my face of genealogy soon. Was out of town and just catching up.
Posted 10 Jun 2011 at 11:50 ¶The Face of Genealogy – http://t.co/pL4aFz4
Posted 20 Jun 2011 at 18:18 ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 2
[...] The backstory of how the LAWeekly were big jerks to genealogists. [...]
[...] GeneaBloggers were encouraged to send letters to the editor about that photo, and then we were asked to select a favorite ancestor photo to post on our blog sites which would send the message of what the Face of Genealogy looks like for us all. Once complaints started rolling in about the photo, by 3:15 pm EST on June 5th, LAWeekly.com removed the photo and replaced it with the photo of a “Jamboree app” on an iphone. To catch the backstory about The Face of Genealogy, visit http://www.geneabloggers.com/face-genealogy/. [...]