In the past, I have been extremely vocal in my criticism of The San Bernardino Sun and its editor, Steve Lambert.

The seemingly flagrant blurring of the lines between factual reporting and activst journalism has annoyed me in the past.  The paper has often been unendingly forgiving and praising of Mayor Pat Morris.  So much so, I have only half-jokingly pondered whether or not the paper was being printed out of the Mayor's office.

I have also lamented the fact that San Bernardino Police Chief Mike Billdt has been allowed to lie to the City Council on at least two separate occasions and had numerous noteworthy incidents that should have been newsworthy squashed.

The ceaseless "Jim Jones-esque" support for Operation Phoenix has been the most exasperating.  The paper has seemingly given Mayor Pat Morris carte blanche at every turn.

Make no mistake, although I have vehemently disagreed with the direction of The Sun and the heavy-handedness of Steve Lambert, I believe he is sincere in his desire to rid our community of crime.

Recently, it appears that the San Bernardino Sun/Steve Lambert might be reassessing their unqualified past support for the program.  In a recent editorial, their words were exceedingly blunt.

In fact, let us venture to say, Operation Phoenix cannot survive, and should not be allowed to, without an overhaul in management, structure and accountability.

It goes on to read:

All community centers and children's services are held to the same standards of licensed child-care providers, including acceptable child-to-adult supervisor ratios. Operations should be suspended immediately in any center in which those standards are not met.

 

I truly do not revel in the current situation surrounding Operation Phoenix. Remember, we are talking about the possibility of child molestation; disgustingly serious allegations.  I would much rather we had a debate on the merits of the program, instead of the current situation at hand.

Lambert and the San Bernardino Sun deserve credit for looking at the latest events as objectively as possible.  It takes a lot of courage and guts to look at something you have invested a lot of time and energy in or so publicly supported and come to the realization that that investment might have been for nought or misguided. 

Make no mistake, Lambert still supports the core values and principles of the program.  And I would expect nothing less.  However, it says a lot about an individual when they can honestly critique and evaluate aspects of a program that they so sincerely support, especially when you recognize that that critique may be a factor in the ultimate demise of said program.