The Associated Press must retract and correct this story and call on its subscribers to issue corrections.Then it must issue an apology for journalist malpractice. The headline is intentionally misleading."Man stabbed by abortion protester outside Planned Parenthood in Oregon."
Inside the story we read:
I don't know if that anti abortion protester in Klamath Fall has mental health issues, but I do know this: the man who beat the crap out of him certainly should be mentally evaluated.Witnesses said that earlier in the day, Clair’s 22-year-old daughter, Kailah Clair, argued with Tolhurst and kicked over his protest signs, Lt. Dennis Ward said.
They said Tolhurst pushed the woman, and she returned later with her father, who confronted Tolhurst.
Ward said in a statement that witnesses reported Ted Clair pushed Tolhurst to the ground and punched him “numerous times” in the face, and then Tolhurst stabbed Clair.
Grants Pass police said no arrests have been made.
I see some of the media are starting to change their headlines, but the narrative is set. The AP needs to issue a correction and an apology. NOW.
The headline should have read: "Pro Abortion Man Stabbed After Attacking Anti Abortion Protester."
Hi Victoria,
ReplyDeleteI wonder if either of the Clairs, daughter or father, are an employee of the clinic. Reading between the lines it seems so as Tolhurst had been outside protesting for a year and tempers among the employees are short. What ever he did, it certainly seems less provocative than the fur protesters the City of Portland "protected" for a year or so until the store went out of business.
If they are employees, Planned Parenthood might be writing this guy a check. The elder Clair certainly, if not understandably, overreacted, to what happened to his daughter and is clearly the agreesor here. Be interesting to see how sympathetic Jackson County grand jury is to Tolhurst. Oh the face of it, Tolhurst seems to have a pretty good case for self defense.
I think you're right. And I think that headline is intentionally misleading.
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