OPINION: Loyola newspaper editors want you to know they are sensitive to the feelings of illegal immigrants who are accused of murdering one of their peers
As the Loyola University Chicago community grieves over the ruthless murder of an 18-year-old freshman, the campus newspaper is focusing on not offending the suspected murderer.
On Monday, prosecutors charged Jose Medina-Medina with murdering freshman Sheridan Gorman. Medina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly killed Gorman while the student was hanging out with friends at a nearby beach early on the morning of March 19.
Campus newspaper The Phoenix originally reported on the charges with an Instagram post titled: “Immigrant Man Charged in Murder of Sheridan Gorman, DHS Involved.”
The original post also referred to Medina as an “illegal immigrant.”
However, facing backlash, the student newspaper edited the post to remove the term “illegal immigrant.” The newspaper refers to Medina as a “Rogers Park Resident,” referring to the Chicago neighborhood where Loyola’s main campus is located.
A revised Instagram post using different language to refer to a suspected murderer; Loyola Phoenix/Instagram
In a lengthy editor’s note that is almost as long as the original article itself, the newspaper apologizes for its transgression:
On March 23, a post on The Phoenix’s Instagram page carried the following headline: “Immigrant Man Charged in Murder of Sheridan Gorman, DHS Involved.”
That headline didn’t reflect the most important elements in the story, and it was taken down minutes later to prevent any further harm to affected community members.
Additionally, in the body of the original post, we described the man who was charged as an “illegal immigrant,” using language provided by the Department of Homeland Security. That language does not align with Associated Press style, nor does it align with the values of this newspaper.
Lest anyone think the newspaper was being insensitive to the suspected murderer, the newspaper added: “No human’s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that.”
The paper’s “language,” not the murder of an innocent girl, caused “harm.”
“We deeply regret these errors, and we’re committed to continuing the high standards we hold for ourselves as journalists and members of the Loyola, Rogers Park and Chicago communities,” the student newspaper reported.
The newspaper does note in its article that Department of Homeland Security says Medina “was living in the United States illegally.”
However, it also refers to Medina with the apparently proper name of “Rogers Park Resident.”
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