[Imc-aotearoa-ed] why was this hidden?

[Brian van Dam]

Hi Finn,
                Me who hid it - perhaps I should have put it under 
borderline case, or maybe I just overreacted. I did put a brief note at 
the bottom of the article when I hid it. It is actually a composite of 
several articles, and it is the middle one that bothered me. Phrases like:
had been acting on behalf of NSW-based Lebanese crime gangs.

Police believe cars; industrial equipment and other property have been 
stolen and shipped to Lebanon and Jordan.

Seven members from two Sydney families of Lebanese and Jordanian 
background were among those arrested

may be seen as being a legit part of reporting (making links to the 
destination of the stolen cars), but I thought it was stretching it to 
report the ethnic background of the arrestees. Would it have made any 
difference to the article if they had reported:

``Seven members from two Sydney families with links to Lebanon and 
Jordan were among those arrested''?

The overall effect smacked of racism to me, but if you object, I stand 
corrected. In hindsight, it could be read either way, but I still feel 
the phrasing leads itself to racist connotations. Poor journalism 
perhaps? (they seem to be cut and pastes from a commercial source).

Cheers,
            Brian.