THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 8, 1995 TAG: 9501060005
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LYNN FEIGENBAUM
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Abortion rights, abortion wrongs. Whatever the stand, abortion is one of the most volatile subjects in journalism.
Last weekend, the sensitivity meters hit new highs as the violence at a Brookline, Mass., abortion clinic had its shocking repercussions here in Norfolk.
Even before the story unraveled at the local Hillcrest Clinic, readers relayed their anguish and anger. The mini-backlash began in the aftermath of the Dec. 30 Brookline shootings that left two dead and five wounded.
A front-page sidebar quoted a Hampton Roads anti-abortion activist as calling the slayings ``moral and just,'' as long as they were done to save ``innocent babies.''
``It's never just,'' argued Helen Sanders of Chesapeake, who felt the paper gave more ``glorification'' to the suspect than to the victims. ``They're not treated as persons at all, with families and lives that have been destroyed.''
The next day, Sunday, came the bombshell: The suspect, John C. Salvi III, was captured in Norfolk after allegedly shooting more than 20 rounds from a semiautomatic .22-caliber rifle into the Hillcrest Clinic. Again, a sidebar to the main story dealt with reaction to the shooting.
Mike Burnat of Virginia Beach felt the moderate point of view got lost in the shuffle. ``You make it look like the majority of pro-lifers like this,'' he said, referring to the Brookline attack. ``I'm pro-life and I despise it.''
But the most heated reaction came Monday, when the front-page banner headline read, ``Vigils praise, condemn Salvi.'' The vigils were a study in contrasts - one a rally outside Norfolk City Jail in support of the suspect, the other at Hillcrest on behalf of the victims. A photo showed anti-abortion advocates holding pro-Salvi signs.
Another half-dozen readers called in. They accused the paper of ``exalting violence'' and ``giving extremists a forum.'' Comparisons were made to Hitler's Germany and the Ku Klux Klan.
Several callers felt the press was giving too much of a voice to a few vocal Salvi backers. ``You have more cameramen down there than you have people standing by,'' said Aaron Scheier of Norfolk.
Again, callers insisted that the moderate pro-life stand wasn't given a fair hearing. ``Your coverage could perpetuate the violence because of the remarks from people who agree with Salvi,'' said Betsy Leonard of Chesapeake.
The concerns are understandable. A high-profile crime like an abortion-clinic shooting could be seen as a violent bid for media attention. And support of violence is a message most of us don't want to hear.
But silence, by the press, carries its own dangers. And I have to believe that an informed public is mightier than an ignorant one.
Coveragewise, neither vigil could be ignored. Perhaps, in retrospect, it would have been better not to give a front-page forum twice to the same strong point of view.
But then, who would have thought that the violence in Brookline, Mass., would have this sort of echo in Norfolk.
HERE & THERE. Though anything seems frivolous after discussing abortion issues, here's a taste of other New Year's weekend issues:
Missing in Cancun. A number of callers complained that, on our weather page, we've been running ``m/m'' instead of the high-low temperatures for Cancun, Mexico. (Same for Karachi, but apparently it's not a hot cruise-ship stop like Cancun.) The ``m'' stand for missing but why the temperatures aren't being reported is a meteorological mystery. All I can tell you is that a recent forecast was a high of 86, low of 66.
Stamped out. Two readers complained that we had too little, too late, the weekend of the stamp price hike. ``When we change to daylight-saving time you give plenty of notice,'' said one caller. ``You should have done the same with the notice about the stamp price increase.'' I'll agree. We didn't have anything until Tuesday, and then only a small blurb on the front page.
Cryptogrumble. And, finally, Cryptoquip fans are hollering because the cryptogram has been moved from the puzzle column to the comic page and gotten scrunched a bit in the process. Apparently, it's also created a tug of war in some families where hubby or child likes to read the funnies while mom does the Cryptoquip. A puzzing dilemma. . . .
MEMO: Call the public editor at 446-2475, or send a computer message to
lynn(AT)infi.net. by CNB