At a time when journalists everywhere, in an effort to distance themselves from recent scandals, are patting themselves on the back for their supposed trustworthiness, professionalism and ethics, it is especially ironic that the editors of this newspaper could not avoid a sensational headline at the cost of accuracy. Page B1 of the May 10 Deseret News has in big letters, "53 percent oppose new fluoridation vote," and notes that the other 47 percent don't.
This is absolute rubbish. Since only a mere 316 residents were polled, the margin of error (6.5 percent) is larger than the difference between the percentage of those who opposed it and those who didn't. Thus, for all one knows, it may just as well be the case that 53 percent of the public favors a new vote.
The next time you journalists self-righteously lament how the recent scandals have damaged the public's trust in you, you should consider that the intelligent public never has trusted you.
Sean Peckham
Salt Lake City