By Kathleen Niehus
On a recent visit to campus, I picked up a copy of the Sept. 22 Beacon. I was horrified by the tasteless article and photo "Non-staffer submits photo, wins national recognition."
I understand that it is an honor to win national recognition, but the article written was both heartless and ignorant of the effect it would have on the survivor of the incident. We all know that in the pursuit of increasing readership, anyone's feelings may be ignored. But, as a student newspaper of a university with a loving heart and soul, I would have expected so much more from everyone involved.
That photo represents one of the worst days of Mrs. Johnson's life. Her beloved husband had a stroke while driving her to work and later died. I realize that as students you live in a bubble and you are focused on things that seem to separate you from the outside world, but that was someone's husband, someone's dad, someone's son. It could have been someone's brother or best friend.
Everyday, Mrs. Johnson is painfully reminded of one of the worst days of her life as she makes her way to work. Maybe she even takes a longer route to avoid passing the area completely.
Did she really need a half-page article and photo to remind her so tastelessly that her husband died? I realize most of you are not married, but think how you would have felt if that had been your dad? Would you have enjoyed seeing the photo used again in the paper to elicit submissions and celebrate someone's mistaken belief that the driver had been drunk?
If you wanted to recognize Ms. Nelson with a small paragraph, it would have been most appropriate to: not print the photo again, not mention that she believed it was a drunk driver and not use the situation as a heartless promotion for student submissions. Just because you could publish the story and photo, did you stop and think whether you should?
I think most of the people that work at the university do so because they love the university, its mission and what it represents, just as the alumni that visit do so to honor their time spent there and love of the place.
As students you may have forgotten the responsibility that you have been given as members of this wider community by publishing the article and photo. You are held to a much higher standard than one allowing such unfortunate mistakes. Please do your best to live up to that standard. We expect so much more from all of you.
Kathleen Niehus is a 1982 alumna. She can be contacted at niehusk@gmail.com
