Kansas City News Blog

Dear Pitch: Thanks for using the term "unborn baby" rather than "fetus." As you know, there has been a bit of a debate on the blogs over which term to use in this tragedy--and unfortunately it has been made to seem like this is "pro-life" vs. "pro-choice" debate. That is not, repeat not, the issue in the use of these terms: The alarming thing about the use of "fetus" in this tragedy is that it fits in with an effort by powerful people in this city to "wish away" the crime problem: It is not a baby that was killed, it is a "fetus." The city's financial and political establishment is terrified of losing more conventions, residents, tourists and industries, etc because of the serious crime problem--and using terms like "fetus" fits in perfectly with efforts to deny the realities of this city's crime problems. That is why the use of the term "fetus" by a lot of the people in the press is deeply alarming--as we say in politics: "Denial is not a river in Egypt." Stop denying the reality of the crime problem and start doing something about it!!! Sincerely and Respectfully, Ernest Evans