Your June 23 article on a protest of the American Medical Association convention by the Pro-Life Action League grossly underreported the number of demonstrators present, stating, ”Around 30 protesters showed up.
. . .” Photographs taken of the demonstration show at least 81 pro-life activists, not including picketers who participated but were not pictured. This number corresponds with that reported by another newspaper, which conservatively estimated the demonstrators at ”about 75.”
The Tribune also reported, ”Protesters paraded outside wearing cardboard gravestones, which they said bore the names of women who died during abortions.” Members of the Pro-Life Action League were carrying 109 different tombstones, each bearing the name of a woman who died from legal abortion and information surrounding the circumstances of her demise. These deaths have all been documented by either a newspaper article, medical malpractice lawsuit, death certificate or coroner`s report. Instead of accepting the verifiable information on the maternal abortion deaths, the Tribune reported the deaths as hearsay with pro-lifers as the source.
The story also did not specify the deaths to be from legal abortion, causing more confusion. The public has a right to expect-and should demand-objective reporting from the press, which has an obligation to cover events in an accurate and unbiased manner. The Tribune`s coverage of the Pro-Life Action League`s picket of the AMA convention fell far short of its
traditionally high journalistic standards.
