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The Coshocton County Coalition for Peace and Social Justice held a peace rally and march on Feb. 15, 2003. This was the first anti-war demonstration held in Coshocton. Three guest speakers and two coalition speakers addressed the demonstrators, who numbered about 40. The crowd consisted of college students from Muskingum College, local residents young and old, as well as some clergy and other professionals. General speaking topics addressed non-violent opposition to war, the just war theory, misinformation disseminated by the administration to fuel war fever, and the call to activism on peace and social justice issues.
One guest speaker, Anna Nixon, spoke of her opposition to the war but also of her support for the men and women in the Armed Services. A journalist, George Wuerthele, covering the rally for the Times Reporter of Dover/New Philly, misquoted her in a deliberate and egregious attempt at character assassination. He approached various organizers, speakers and demonstrators for comments. His manner was one of contempt and condescension. He described those in attendance as "a small band of pacifists, moralists and geriatric hippies." This article was posted on the front page of Sunday's Times Reporter and a furor immediately ensued. A video/audio tape of the rally re vealed the inaccuracies to be blatant. The Times Reporter was deluged with angry calls and emails protesting this yellow journalism. The editor of the paper commented Monday that he cringed upon reading the article, that it was biased reporting, and that it should not have run. The reporter was immediately fired. One of the speakers at the rally spoke to the editor and asked that the reporter be disciplined rather than fired. He felt the article belonged on the opinion page. The editor said it didn't belong anywhere in the Times Reporter. Now that's social justice!!!
Prior to the rally local newspaper coverage was good. Follow up coverage on radio was done in a fair manner, with next-day photos in the local newspaper.
One guest speaker, Anna Nixon, spoke of her opposition to the war but also of her support for the men and women in the Armed Services. A journalist, George Wuerthele, covering the rally for the Times Reporter of Dover/New Philly, misquoted her in a deliberate and egregious attempt at character assassination. He approached various organizers, speakers and demonstrators for comments. His manner was one of contempt and condescension. He described those in attendance as "a small band of pacifists, moralists and geriatric hippies." This article was posted on the front page of Sunday's Times Reporter and a furor immediately ensued. A video/audio tape of the rally re vealed the inaccuracies to be blatant. The Times Reporter was deluged with angry calls and emails protesting this yellow journalism. The editor of the paper commented Monday that he cringed upon reading the article, that it was biased reporting, and that it should not have run. The reporter was immediately fired. One of the speakers at the rally spoke to the editor and asked that the reporter be disciplined rather than fired. He felt the article belonged on the opinion page. The editor said it didn't belong anywhere in the Times Reporter. Now that's social justice!!!
Prior to the rally local newspaper coverage was good. Follow up coverage on radio was done in a fair manner, with next-day photos in the local newspaper.