A. Guidelines

     Where do you draw the line?
     When Col. Oliver North testified before Congress that Rep. Ron Dellums of California should not be on the House Intelligence Committee because he opposed the Vietnam War, Rep. Pete Stark, another Democrat from California, said to North, "Frankly, Colonel, you are full of shit."
     The actress Regina Taylor recalled that in the early 1970s she was among the first group of blacks to integrate a junior high school in Oklahoma. The first day in class she was seated next to a white girl who told the teacher, "I do not want to sit next to this nigger."
     In the lyrics of a rap song by 2 Live Crew, the group recites, "I'll break ya down and dick ya long/Bust your pussy then break your backbone."
     Earl Butz, a member of President Ford's cabinet, said in the hearing of a reporter, "... coloreds only want three things: first, a tight pussy; second, loose shoes; and third, a warm place to shit. That's all."
     Madonna at a Live Aid concert refused to take off her blazer. "I'm not taking shit off."
     For a profile, Clint Eastwood told the interviewer he could not accept the notion of a wrathful god—"some great villain who would come down and beat the shit out of you if you sinned."
     What would you do with this language and with any other words and situations you have come across in your reading and experience? Can you suggest guidelines?

B. Johns

     You receive this press release from the mayor's office:

     Mayor Sam Parnass today announced that the Mayor's Office of Midtown Enforcement and the City Police Department last night closed three houses of prostitution on Torrence Avenue. Also last night, the Public Morals Division of the Police Department arrested 29 prostitutes and eight of their clients and confiscated three automobiles at 10 locations along Torrence Avenue.
     Mayor Parnass said, "Last month, after consultation with District Attorney Paul Robinson, I directed my Office of Midtown Enforcement to assist the Police in their efforts to address the growing prostitution problem. As a result, six illegal brothels were closed last week and three more were closed last night.
     "These achievements bode well for the success of interagency cooperation and I am confident that with city agencies working together with the support of the District Attorney's office, the quality of life will improve for our citizens."
     The three illegal businesses—located at 6310, 6522, and 6770 Torrence Ave.—were closed last night pursuant to the City's Nuisance Abatement Law, which provides for the immediate closure of establishments that have a history of prostitution arrests during the previous year. Midtown Enforcement attorneys initiated the three lawsuits based on numerous prostitution arrests made by the Police Department's Public Morals Division. The closing orders were signed by District Judge Mary Farrell.
     Also, we are confiscating cars belonging to men who cruise looking for prostitutes. We will not have our neighborhoods used for illicit purposes.

     You check the arrest records and obtain the names of seven of those arrested. The officer in charge suggests that you check the ownership of the three confiscated automobiles, and you do so with the motor vehicle department. You learn one of the automobiles is registered in the name of Herbert Blitzer, dean of the school of journalism; the other two are registered to two of the seven arrested.
     You ask who the eighth person was and the police tell you they are holding his name because he is a minor. Through sources, you learn he is Donald Blitzer, the 16-year-old son of the dean.
     How would you handle the story?

1. Would you use the names of the prostitutes, some of whom have local addresses?
2. Would you use the names of the local men?
3. Would you use Donald Blitzer's name? (The law does not prohibit publication of the names of minors; it penalizes those who disclose them.)

C. Survival

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You will be covering a speech next week by the head of the International Human Rights Foundation, Theodore Girsang. The title of his talk is "Gender Inequality."      You receive a press release and an accompanying photograph from the Foundation. The material describes the photo: "Although this mother was assured she had breast milk sufficient for her baby girl and boy, she chose to breast-feed only the boy. UNICEF workers tried to save the baby girl's life, but she died shortly after the photograph was taken of malnutrition."      The press release:      Theodore Girsang, president of the International Human Rights Foundation, has recently returned from a trip that took him to Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Asia. He reports that in contrast to the situation in Europe, countries with gender inequality like Pakistan and China have a high ratio of female to male mortality.      This is true in these countries despite the fact that female children generally have a substantial survival advantage at birth.      The reasons are complex, and Mr. Girsang will discuss them in his talk. These factors include the economics of the country or region, its cultural heritage, male-dominated property rights, religious beliefs.

1. Write a 100-word precede.
2. Discuss whether you would use the accompanying photo with the precede or with his talk, or with neither.

D. Indiscretion

     You learn that a congressman from your area who is a major figure in his party had an extramarital affair 35 years ago. The congressman often spoke about the need for public officials to maintain a high ethical standard. Do you use the material for a story?

E. You Decide

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     You are the editor of The Freeport News and must decide whether to use these two photos:

1. This photo of a lynching victim is to be published with a long feature to be run Sunday during Black History Month.
2. This is a photo that is to accompany a feature on unusual birthday presents. The man photographed at a baseball game during his outdoor birthday party is a local dentist.

     Give reasons for using or rejecting these photographs.