Do you remember journalism? It’s an old art that involved open inquiry by skilled professionals and the reporting of facts to the public regarding important civic matters. Apparently it has been discovered and is being practiced by an upstart St. Louis newspaper known as The Beacon. If you read John Combest, you’ve probably clicked on their stories before.
Anyway, amidst the uproar surrounding Congressman Todd Akin’s recent remarks regarding rape and abortion, The Beacon decided to engage in an actual act of journalism and investigate the factual basis of the senate hopeful’s claim that a woman’s autonomic physiological response to forced intercourse results in a reduced risk of pregnancy. Cited are two medical studies, a Washington University physician, a rape-prevention advocate and an abortion-rights activist. Read the article and learn. Thank you, Mr. Robert Joiner.
The reason I post this is because while portions of Akin’s comments were artless and baffling at best, a lot of the media reaction seemed more wrapped up in fueling reporting political fallout than actual facts. In some cases it was worse, with voices from mainstream outlets seizing on a few words to suggest that Mr. Akin is somehow “pro-rape,” or doesn’t think rape is that big of a deal.
Mr. Joiner’s article doesn’t put the Republican from suburban St. Louis in any kind of favorable light, but relative to so much other coverage, its focus on facts is a compliment to readers and a breath of fresh air.
