Crimson Advertising Supplement Misleading

To the editors:

Last Friday, a 12-page insert placed between pages of The Crimson was distributed to students on the Harvard campus. Published by the Human Life Alliance of Minnesota Education Fund, it was entitled, "She's a Child, Not A Choice," Printed in tabloid format, this publication portrays itself as journalism. It is propaganda.

We do not blame The Crimson for including a pro-life advertisement inserted in its pages. However, we find it disappointing that The Crimson did not feel it necessary to review the information which it chose to include in its paper. This advertisement does not simply inform students about pro-life options or state opinions on the controversial issue of abortion. Claims as silly as "World Population can be Housed in Texas" and as false as stating that "the pill" causes automatic abortions in women who use it for contraception render the advertisement foolish, inaccurate and misleading. Although The Crimson did not author this advertisement, surely some editor should have reviewed these 12 pages which looked so much like part of a newspaper.

The official position of The Crimson staff on abortion is pro-choice. One would expect the staff to notice the journalistic approach of the insert and the extremely small print identifying it as an advertisement. Did The Crimson believe that it could completely disassociate itself from an insert longer than most of its own sections?

We welcome overt discussion and opinions regarding the abortion debate. But presenting views in the context of a newspaper (even in an advertising insert) without any apparent care for the validity of information within them is a disgraceful action on the part of The Crimson. ALISSA I. BERSIN '01,   EMILY M. B. GANN '01,   MANA GOLZARI '01,   VICTORIAL L. STEINBERG '01   Feb. 22, 1999 The writers are board members of Students for Choice.