Opinion Page
THE BRUNSWICK#BEACOIM
Edward M. Sweatt and Carolyn H. Sweatt Publishers
Edward M. Sweatt Editor
Lynn S. Carlson Managing IZdttor
Susan Usher News Editor
Dong Rutter Sports Editor
Marjorle Megtvern Associate Editor
Eric Carlson Staff Writer
Peggy Earwood Office Manager
Carolyn 11. Sweatt .Advertising Director
Ttmberley Adams. Cecelia Gore
and Linda Cheers Advertising Representatives
Dorothy Brennan and Brenda Clemmons Moore ..Graphic Artists
William Manning Pressman
Lonnie Sprinkle Assistant Pressman
Phoebe Clemmons and Frances Sweatt Circulation
PAGE 4-A. THURSDAY. JUNE 1 1, 1992
Commissioner's Statement
About Tourists Unfounded
Regardless of how you feel about governments helping to
support chambers of commerce, there's no defending the com
ments about tourism made by Holden Beach Commissioner Jim
Fournier in a recent public meeting.
Fournier was quoted in this newspaper several weeks ago as
saying, during a debate over the chamber's request for town sup
port, "1 don't get anything from the lourisLs except aggravation, i
know the tourists are here when I see trash in the canal behind
my house."
Although the commissioner has probably been taken to task
by nearly every business person he's encountered in this commu
nity since his statement was published, we feel the need to join
the chorus.
Tourism, like it or not, constitutes a hefty chunk of this com
munity's economic foundation. It is a clean and cost-effective in
dustry that has unarguably been very good to many Brunswick
Countians, in both direct and indirect ways.
The little "aggravations" Brunswick County's year-round res
idents endure during the tourist season pale beside those of
neighboring resort communities which have not protected their
family atmospheres as scrupulously as the South Brunswick
Islands did. Those of us who have lived and made a living in
those other communities never ceased to be amazed at just how
"laid-back" the tourist season is in the South Brunswick Islands.
As for the trash statement, it would go without saying that, if
you're looking for places to criticize for their debris and litter,
there are more obvious places to look than around rental cottages.
Most of the year-round residents of this community, our
selves and perhaps even the commissioner included, first came to
love Brunswick County as vacationers. By the same token, many
of us who have been fortunate enough to find a way to settle here
permanently, and to support ourselves while doing so, have
tourists to thank for making it possible.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pier Manager Responds
To Writer's Complaint
To the editor:
Understandably, there has been some dismay concerning the newly
enacted policy of charging admission to everyone using the Holden
Beach Fishing Pier. This change is not meant to alienate any of our cus
tomers and friends.
The primary concern is for the safety of those using our pier. We feel
that by charging this nominal fee it will help eliminate the overcrowding
and repeat traffic on the fishing pier and decrease the chances of anyone
being injured.
Another deciding factor is that with the rising cost of operating and
maintaining a business of this nature, we find this to be a suitable alter
native to raising the price of fishing tickets at this time. We feel that all
who enjoy using this facility should share in its upkeep, not just the fish
ermen.
In response to Mrs. Phillips' letter (June 4 issue) let me add that most
of the better things in life do have a pricc tag, but we sometimes tend to
forget this when someone else is paying the bill.
Forrest G. Whitley, Co-Manager
Holden Beach Fishing Pier
Adults Setting Poor Example For Players
To the editor:
Are we going to be another Whiteville? Teeball should be a learning
experience for our kids, a game which contains sportsmanship.
It's terrible when adults can't control their childish actions in front of
our kids. Hopefully, next year the board members and coaches will have
the common sense to handle these situations at meetings and not in front
of our children.
I enrolled my child to learn sportsmanship and how to get along with
others, not to watch adults fuss in front of the dugout.
Let's get real! We don't even keep score. Who wants to accuse
someone of trying to cheat with 5-to-8-year-olds.
I would like to thank Homer Andrews for the many years of service
to the Shallottc League. His continued leadership and dedication to our
children is an example that I would like my son to carry with him if he
continues in baseball.
Kaye C. Mattingly
Supply
Poor Sportsmanship Displayed Each Year
To the editor:
I have been involved in Shallotte tee-ball for four years. Each year it
has been my unfortunate experience to see at least one coach, if not
more, display not only poor sportsmanship, but also some very immature
behavior.
Each time 1 have been tempted to remove my child from the field.
But because of remarks from other parents concerning my poor sports
manship if I reacted to the coaches' atrocious behavior, 1 have remained
silent.
This year the teams my son has played on have had mature coaches.
However, last week my husband stood within three feet of the tec-ball
coordinator as she argued with a coach during a game over something
petty. My husband heard the coach say it was neither ?he time nor place
for the discussion. For teams of children and their families were in the
vicinity of the dugout and heard parts of the argument.
I was not only offended that this discussion took place in front of all
these people, but also while the coach's game was in progress.
1 urge everyone with a sincere concern for young people to become
involved with Little League sports. But if it your way of showing your
self or living out your childhood again, please remain at home and allow
us to enjoy our children while they are still young.
Cheri Shaggs
Shallotte
(Letters Continued On Following Page)
The Scariest Sport In The World
Most people's tears have some ba
sis in reality ? flying, public speak
ing, taking the glass elevator to the
72nd floor of the Pcachtree Tower.
I have a friend (the same one who
has a sweatshirt proclaiming "I
Survived Catholic School") who has
to breathe into a paper bag to keep
from hyperventilating when he's in
a room with a nun.
I'm afraid of tccball.
1 had a panic attack when I read
our letters to the editor from moms
incensed at the carryings on of tee
ball coaches. My palms sweated, my
heart palpitated, my throat constrict
ed. Then I had a flashback.
My mind raced back to that hot
summer evening in 1973 when it
happened, right in this very county,
and on assignment for this very
newspaper.
1 was a freshman in college, a
news major in the heady era of
Watergate, the glory days of inves
tigative journalism when all my
y.(KK) peers in "J-school," as we
called it. were chafing at the bit to
get out in the world and work for
$67.33 per week gross.
My job for the summer was doing
whatever My Father The Publisher
said. This week I was to fill in for
the Beacon's then editor and one
man news staff, who allegedly had
I TTi
Lynn
Carlson
sprained his back. (I believe to this
day that he just wanted a vacation
and knew this was the only way he'd
get one.)
Among my tasks was to check on
the progress of the two hot issues of
the day ? whether a county hospital
would be built and whether the
county seat would be moved. (I as
sume you know how those turned
out.)
1 was also assigned to do a photo
layout on The Baseball league for
Male Toddlers, the precursor of to
day's liberalized but apparently not
yel civilized game of tccball.
Mind you thai I was a brash 19
year-old whose journalistic idols
were photographer Annie Leibovitz
and writer/reprobate Hunter Thomp
son. I saw every assignment as a
chance to capture one of the great
human truths to be presented in print
with dazzling brilliancc.
A
m
Imagine my horror when the
woman in the orange double-knit
shorts and pink sponge rollers
grabbed my head with both hands,
turned me toward a squirming clutch
of uniformed boys and said in a no
nonsense tone, "Take Jason's pic
ture." (I was reminded of her years
later when I saw the movie, " 111 row
Mama From the Train.")
Okay, I rationalized, I guess she's
just a really, really proud parent.
"Which one of you is Jason?" I
asked. Most of them said, "Me."
I shot a few pictures while being
similarly accosted by half a dozen
more parents. Then I sat down to
watch the game, which consisted
largely of adults arguing and spitting
and cussing each other while the
kids looked alternately bored and
perplexed.
Those on the field kept forgetting
their positions and the fact that they
were supposed to keep their gloves
on. Those on the baiting team were
crying, either because it wasn't their
turn next or because they were going
to have to bat at all. Those on both
sides kept forgetting to pay attention.
I survived that game, vowing to
claw my way to the top and become
an editor so I'd be able to assign
other greenhorn newshounds to cov
er tccball.
1 kept th;il vow and have neve
again covered the game. But I forgo
one important prerequiste to bein
able to avoid it altogether. I bore
son.
When he decided to play teehall ;
decade or so ago, I relented. In ;
moment of profound weakness I
agreed even for my newspaper to
sponsor the team.
I was fine for a few games, until
my son came up to the tee one day,
eager but a little nervous and look
ing for all the world like he just
walked out of a Norman Rockwell
painting. I heard the evil screech of
a grown woman: "Don't worry. He
ain't no good. He can't hit." I never
saw who it was, but my mind con
jured up the horrific image of Old
Sponge Head.
I cursed. I argued. In my blind
rage, I may even have spat. For the
next few weeks, I exceeded even an
editor's recommended daily al
lowance of Rolaids.
The season passed, and my son
eventally abandoned team sports for
surfing and the saxaphone. I never
tire of sitting on the beach, mar
veling at his grace and determina
tion. And, believe me. though band
concerts can be grueling, the odds of
survival are pretty good.
.
Answers To Hard Questions Aren't
Simple
Were l he newspapers that gave
their readers information about the
jurors in the Rodney King-police
case in 1 ^t>s Angeles serving the
public good, simply doing their jobs
or sensationalizing an emotion
charged situation?
Information about the jurors was
kept confidential during the trial by
judge's order, but afterward was part
of the public record- available to
anyone, including reporters, who
cared to go to the courthouse and re
trieve the data.
Most of us in America, unlike our
forefathers and some more recent
immigrants, cannot conceive of a
system of government in which this
and other information, or even a trial
itself, might be cloaked in secrecy.
But ready access to that informa
tion raises questions about its re
sponsible use.
What information about the jurors
should have been printed? What re
sponsibility did the newspapers have
to the jurors? to readers? to the
broad issue of a constitutionally
guaranteed free press? Arc they re
sponsible for how their readers use
the information that goes into print?
These are questions still being de
bated. Staffers at newspapers that
did or did not print the namcs-and
their counterparts at newspapers that
may someday have to deal with a
similar situation-argue over the
ethics involved in the decision.
Several jurors spoke on the record
following the trial. Others went out
of their way to avoid commenting
on their pivotal role in what appears
to be a case for the history books.
Some newspapers and wire ser
vices printed nothing about the ju
rors. *l"he Los Angeles Daily News
went to the opposite extreme, report
ing details such as the jurors' hob
bies, marital status and political po
sitions
Most newspapers landed some
where in between. Some printed
names, ages, hometowns. A few
printed occupations. A handful went
so far as to print the places of their
employment, which most of their
peers-regardless of their agreement
on other points-agree was going too
far.
Contrary to what talk-show host
Rush Limbaugh told listeners across
the country, not one newspaper
printed full addresses, only home
towns. Some papers, like the
Enterprise of Sirni Valley, printed
only the names of the jurors who
lived in their towns.
The Los Angeles Times printed
only a general description of the ju
rors, without their names.
Why print anything about the ju
rors?
Arguments vary, many relating to
the right, or even need, of the public
to know, or the responsibility of a
free press not to cloak any part of a
public trial in secrecy.
Most newspapers were honestly
trying to answers what they viewed
as legitimate questions:
? Who were the individuals who
made this important decision?
? By what process of analysis did
they arrive at their decision, espe
cially since many others in the
courtroom throughout the trial had
anticipated a different outcome; and
? Were the police officers actual
ly tried by a jury of "their peers?"
Apparently some newspapers
published the information simply
because it was their standard proce
dure in any major court ease-leave
off the jurors this time and what
precedent is set? One paper said it
chose to publish the list for fear that
the white media might be accused
of withholding the names.
Others may have been caught up
in the heat of competition, of oneup
manship, simply trying to have more
information, though not necessarily
better information, than their nearest
rival, to win the implied contest of
who had the most complete cover
age.
Contrary to what most of the gen
eral public thinks, I've never known
a general newspaper that deliberate
ly sets out to sensationalize a story,
either to sell papers or for any other
reason. But any newspaper, or other
news medium, at one time or anoth
er, is subject to losing its perspective
in the pursuit of fresh information,
new "angles" on subjects people are
talking about and want to know
more about.
And editors, like everybody else,
arrive at their decisions by different
paths of reasoning. As follows, edi
tors asked in a Washington Journ
alism Review article to explain their
newspaper's position had wide
ranging answers. Compare their re
sponses below to the earlier summa
ry of what they actually printed.
Managing Editor Jane Amari of
the Daily News felt strongly on the
subject. "America has never had a
secret system of justice," she said. "I
think readers have to know if the po
lice officers were truly judged by a
jury of their peers."
The answers aren't always so
easy to come by. I've wondered my
self what my choice would have
been in the heat of the trial. I've
been a juror on a tough case and I
like to have my own privacy protect
ed. At the same time I'm a newspa
perwoman who believes strongly in
giving readers information and
sparking their desire to think, do fur
ther research and draw their own
conclusions.
The police officers' acquittal was
a landmark decision; how the jurors'
arrived at their decision was impor
tant and readers deserved to know
the why and how if it.
Bui did they need to know at that
very impassioned moment? How
important were actual names of the
jurors as opposed to general pro
files? What about the potential
"chilling" effect of that disclosure
on citizens' willingness to serve as
future jurors?
Certainly the jurors* privacy was
violated, invaded. In America, the
land of the free, is that one of the
prices we're expected to pay for a
republic?
These people, unlike candidates
or elected officials, didn't deliber
ately thrust themselves into the pub
lic arena. Like most of the reporters
who pursued them, they were sim
ply doing their job the best way they
knew.
At some point the media's role
must have turned into harassment
from the perspective of the jurors,
especially given the numbers of re
porters involved.
Still, I can't help but think that
most of those same 1 2 jurors would
have been looking for answers to
some of those same questions in
their hometown newspaper if it were
another trial of that significance that
didn't involve them.
Several editors who ran the infor
mation say that if they had the deci
sion to make again, they would do
things differently, either not running
the information at all or waiting and
running it at a less inflammatory
time.
Most today, at least, would prob
ably agree with Bob Rawitch, exec
utive editor of the Times' Ventura
County and Valley editions.
"What is gained by running the
names (during the inflamed situa
tion) except asserting that we have
(that) right? he asked, reserving the
paper's right to run the information
at another time.
What indeed? That's the question
editors, reporters and readers must
ask of themselves. The answers
don't always come in vivid primary
colors.