Reader Advocate: Did tippling Legos set a naughty example?

One reader made me laugh out loud this week when he sent this comment:
    "I have a complaint about the article on getting drinks on St. Patrick's Day in Friday's 'The Mix' section. While it was funny to see Legos portrayed in the bar setting I feel it was somewhat in bad taste.
    "First off, while funny, using children's toys to illustrate a very adult situation shouldn't be placed on a front page feature, in bright colors where those who play with them will see. This would have been better served on, say, page 2.
    "My second complaint is in a more serious nature. I find it in poor taste that in the bathrooms of the 'bar' you have one Lego man throwing up, and a couple having sex, or at the very least making out (check the left side of the picture). This is very inappropriate, and I would love to know how that got past your editing staff. Again, the placement of this picture on the front page of a section, in bright colors, attracts young children who like Legos, to examine.
    "I hope you have the good taste and responsibility to print an apology. I hope Lego doesn't see this abuse, because it is a legal liability to you, as each Lego figure's unique features are protected properties."
    When I spoke to Josh Awtry, assistant managing editor for presentation/online and the designer of the photo illustration, he explained, "We did it because it was funny."
    And it is funny.
    Anyone who has ever been to a bar and gone to the bathroom has seen a drunken customer hugging the porcelain. I loved the fact that the little guy is either a milk truck driver or a guy who sells ice cream from a truck - those are the only two jobs where guys normally wear white outfits and white hats.
    Keep in mind these particular Legos are about 30 years old, so outfits for certain jobs may have changed since then.
    As for the couple "making out" in that small space on the left side: They could be dancing.
    From time to time, newspapers have to be edgy - even ones in Utah. It helps keep the readers alert. If The Salt Lake Tribune does something to make readers look twice or three times, then the paper is challenging. And it should be challenging.
   
    Love or hate? Some folks have a skewed idea of what kind of people put out this newspaper. Take for instance, this query from a reader:
    "I read an article in The Tribune that referred to the Tribune religion editor. Since The Tribune goes to extraordinary efforts to hire people who despise religion of any kind, pray tell what does the religion editor do?"
    Lisa Carricaburu, assistant managing editor for features/sports, also serves as the religion editor.
    She functions as religion editor supervising two religion reporters. She also helps "direct coverage related to religion, editing all the religion stories," works with the copy desk to produce pages and responds to reader queries about religion coverage.
    As to the comment about hiring people who despise religion, many readers would be interested to know that the majority of people who work here have some kind of spiritual beliefs.
    Many of them think deeply about their beliefs, but the trick to committing good journalism is to not allow personal beliefs to leak into news coverage.
    One of our religion writers just sent me this e-mail: "Buddhists, Greek Orthodox, Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Evangelicals, non-believers - these are just some examples of the faces I see every day in our office."
    Another staff member wrote: "I am fascinated by religion in all its forms and have trouble understanding why those of us who call ourselves religious ignore so many of the lessons we have been taught since we were kids, like tolerance and love for all people."
    Another sent: "I serve in an LDS bishopric, so I guess you can file me in the love religion camp."
    And: "In a sentence, my faith and my religion are central to my life."
    And: "I believe in Jesus, but I have a helluva time with the organizations humans have formed to institutionalize his teachings."
    Several people said they were neutral about religion.
    But the most profound answer - and the one that tells how journalists should behave - is this one: "I don't really feel comfortable sharing that with the public, to tell you the truth."
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    * The Reader Advocate's phone number is 801-257-8782. Write to the Reader Advocate, The Salt Lake Tribune, 90 S. 400 West, Suite 700, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. reader.advocate@sltrib.com.