THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609130027
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LYNN FEIGENBAUM
LENGTH: 80 lines
Gun runners, tattoos, advice columnists - it was a busy week in the public editor's office.
Why the Million Man March? More than a half-dozen readers objected to last Sunday's front-page story, ``Brotherhood of the gun runners,'' about 15 members of a gun-running ring who had been fraternity brothers and band members at Norfolk State University.
Some callers accused The Pilot of NSU-bashing. Why keep mentioning the university, asked one woman, as though it sanctioned this crime?
Others objected to the story's lead, which put the theft of one gun, and a subsequent murder, in context with the Million Man March.
``There was no correlation whatsoever,'' said Keela Boose of Norfolk. ``One gun runner bought a gun four days before the Million Man March and the man in Washington, who was killed with that gun, was killed six months after the march. . . Why sully a very positive gathering of black men?''
Lynn Waltz, the reporter who wrote the story, explains that she was trying to show that choices were made - a recommitment to America vs. contributing to crime on the streets. Also, the victim, a vendor, had supplied ice and hot dogs to the mall and, presumably, to march participants.
To me, linking gun runners to the Million Man March was a stretch, an uncomfortable stretch that mostly stressed a racial motivation to the crime.
As for the Norfolk State ties, I don't see how they could have been avoided. The story never implies that the university ``sanctioned'' gun running. And it is difficult to avoid the sad irony that a group of service-oriented fraternity brothers - men described as compassionate, loyal and talented - became involved in a criminal activity.
Perhaps some callers were remembering that unfortunate day in March 1994 when the banner headline ``17 athletes, drugs and NSU'' was emblazoned atop The Pilot's front page. The gun-runner story was displayed more appropriately, without sensationalism.
Tattoo ballyhoo. The next day, Monday, another front pager brought on reader wrath - a story about self-tattooing.
The main grievance was that the story was irresponsible because it explained how to self-tattoo, and would inspire kids to do more of this. Some also objected to the ``naked'' photo of basketball player Dennis Rodman with the story.
A Norfolk grandmother had a typical comment. ``What galls me so,'' she said, ``is that it gives, step by step, how to do it - `get a needle, sterilize it. . . ' Fortunately, my kids are all grown and not at that stage.''
She believes that young teenagers, boys especially, are vulnerable to these kinds of fads. ``Why advertise it?'' she said.
Well, the caller has a point, though anybody reading the entire story through would have thought twice, if not 20 times, before self-tattooing. The recitation of infections, scarring, HIV risks et al turned my usually cast-iron stomach, as it was intended to. And I don't know how the risks could have been discussed without explaining how self-tattooing is done.
Most kids out fad-hunting are more apt to be influenced by their peers than by the newspaper. I would look at an article like this as a public-service announcement for parents, many of whom are in the dark.
One disclaimer: The jaunty, MTV layout of this story, complete with the risque Rodman, does make us vulnerable to criticism. Instead of appearing to be educational, it almost looks like fun!
``Dear Ann Landers, Dear Abby: My newspaper left out your advice column, and your sister's, one day last weekend. It spoiled my whole morning! I've called the public editor, the newsroom - everyone. How am I going to get through the day?''
Signed: Unhappy Pilot reader.
OK, maybe nobody wrote that letter, but this was the gist of several dozen calls last weekend.
The missing columns were quickly replaced, in Monday's Daily Break. And our feature editors were reminded that Ann and Abby haven't lost their popularity!
Speaking out, by jingo! It's nice to know that hometown loyalty is alive and well in these homogenized United States.
A column last weekend referring to poverty on the Eastern Shore brought out the area's defenders. Several letters suggested that we're welcome to save the bridge-tunnel toll and stay on the ``western shore.''
And a Portsmouth man thought it was terrible that a recent hurricane story referred to his hometown, Myrtle Beach, S.C., as a ``gaudy resort city.''
Makes you wonder how a Myrtle Beach writer might characterize the Oceanfront. . .
by CNB