University of Arizona Journalism School Upholding Sheriff Dupnik's Opinion

Katie Pavlich | January 12, 2011 3:37 PM

So much for teaching objectivity....

I just received the University of Arizona School of Journalism (a public university) alumni eNewsletter for January 12, 2011. In it is a story written by UA Professor

Mort Rosenblum.

Rosenblum gives credit to Sheriff Dupnik's claims that the horrific actions of Jared Loughner in Tucson were caused by what he calls "vitriolic" rhetoric from television and radio personalities.

So far, there has been no evidence whatsoever to back up Dupnik's claims, yet the UA Journalism School has decided to promote the blatantly false and opinionated article anyway.

The newsletter:

The linked story Tucson's War-Zone Reality:

Tucson today reflects deep societal sickness.
As Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said, political vitriol drives the unbalanced to extremes. And just about anyone can buy the firepower to murder en masse.
“The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," Dupnik said. “And ... I think Arizona has become sort of the capital.”
True enough. To a reporter who grew up here, whose first real job was covering Tucson for the morning daily, there is much to trouble the spirit.

Some kind of reporter Rosenblum is in this case, considering he is citing and agreeing with a Sheriff who admitted he has found no evidence in his investigation of Jared Loughner that political rhetoric was linked to or the cause of the shooting on Saturday. In fact, there is evidence to prove the opposite
and it is clear Loughner has a mental health problem.