Coverage of Tatum fails to give students useful information

Where are the resources our Dean of Students announced in your first article about Sarah Tatum? (“”Dorm birth ends in arrest,”” Feb. 26, 2009) I’ve read each of your articles, hoping that I’d come to a small box listing people, web sites, non-profits, and services for students to contact, but I’ve only found reporting which in my opinion is not so carefully walking the line between facts and histrionic dribble.

You took the time to interview a resident of Arizona-Sonora and found out what kind of plastic bag was involved in the incident. Why didn’t you take the time to find all of the resources on campus that are here to help UA students? You took the time to write two follow up articles. Where is the follow up article that is going to help students on campus take action to help themselves and others? Sensationalizing the story is taking up space in the Daily Wildcat that could be used to prevent unnecessary occurrences in the future and help students who are in need now. The resources the Dean mentioned aren’t around to give a counselor a job or take up funding, they’re here to help.

Please provide your readers with information about what is available to them so UA students can be happy, stay safe, and support the people around them.

Sarah David

physiology senior

Pro-choice response to Tatum case hypocritical

I found Daniella Trimble’s letter of March 1 quite sad. First, she paints a rather personal and detailed picture of Sarah Tatum’s beliefs, family, and values, and then goes on to say that she doesn’t know the details of Sarah’s circumstances. Which one is it, Ms. Trimble?

Furthermore, what is particularly disconcerting about your letter, Trimble, is that you go on to support murdering infants for the sake of mothers, friends, and family, but don’t seem to care at all about the child! If given a “”choice”” I highly doubt any child would prefer to be murdered in a place designed for its safety, comfort and maturation (the womb).

Finally, I am shocked by the hypocrisy of the “”pro-choice”” crowd in this situation. They seem to contend that what Sarah Tatum did was reprehensible – seeking to slowly suffocate her newborn child in a bag filled with dirty laundry. However, there is little qualitative difference between that and every second and third trimester form of abortion – accept with abortion you can’t see the pain and horror on the face of the person being torn apart and murdered. Trimble, be consistent: either you are OK with murdering children – regardless of where they are (in utero or in a plastic bag) – or you aren’t.

Silas Montgomery

UA alumnus