By Don Frost
Six years ago I took the Chicago Tribune to task for its misuse of the word “rights.” I pointed out that combining it with “abortion” in news columns was unethical because marrying “rights” to any issue constituted endorsement of that issue. This is something ethical journalist do only in editorials, op-ed pieces, or clearly labeled opinion columns.
I cited as examples our Declaration of Independence’s mention of our “unalienable rights,” our Bill of Rights, the terms “civil rights,” “criminal rights,” “victim rights,” “immigrant rights,” “gun rights,” and “women’s rights.” The list goes on.
The Trib’s response: My goodness, we certainly don’t use “abortion rights” to take sides on this controversial issue; to endorse abortion. We use “abortion rights” only because the Supreme Court, in Roe vs. Wade, has declared that women have a right to have an abortion. It’s a right, for mercy’s sake. The highest court in the land says so.
Poor helpless Chicago Tribune. To hear them tell it they use “abortion rights” because the Supreme Court forced them to.
Well, the Supreme Court has revised its ruling. Now the court says women have no right to have an abortion.
Freed of the Supreme Court “forcing” them to use the term “abortion rights,” what’s the Trib’s revised policy? No revision at all. Six years ago the Tribune regarded the Supreme Court’s ruling as virtually holy writ, now the Trib doesn’t give a damn what the highest court in the land says. So they’re going on, and on, editorializing in news columns in favor of abortion by calling it a right; a right the court unequivocally says doesn’t exist.
The fix is so simple. Here’s how it works: “The senator spoke out on the abortion issue.” See how easy that was? It’s factual; it clearly says what the issue is, yet it’s neutral in tone and is bias-free. But in the Trib it’s, “The senator spoke out on the abortion rights issue.” Why “rights” if not to make an editorial stand in favor of abortion?
Hypocrite, thy name is Chicago Tribune. R.I.P., a once-great newspaper.
P.S. Not that it matters, but I regret Roe has been overturned. I wish abortion still was a legal option.