In today's Waterloo newspaper:
"Black Prison Population in Iowa Could Grow"
Doesn't that headline insinuate that "Blacks are expected to commit more crimes"? Only in reading the story do you see that blacks in Iowa tend to get stiffer sentences for similar crimes to whites. Why not give use the headline "In Iowa Blacks get Stiffer Sentences"? It's shorter and explains the story.
Well, your headline is 1 word shorter!! And, not having read the story, I can't really see why anyone would have written the first one. Is that in the Gazette?
ReplyDeleteOK I went back...it's the Waterloo paper. Now I can understand why the first headline was written, but think it is poor and a good editor should have caught it.
ReplyDeleteSorry. But, your headline is misleading also for anyone skimming headlines.
ReplyDeleteI've read the story and read both headlines. One implies blacks are going to commit more crimes. The other implies that blacks receive harsher sentences for the same crimes as whites... which what the article actually says. The second headline doesn't add the "It's going to get worse" part but at least it doesn't insult blacks the way the first one does.
ReplyDeleteI'll stand by my post.