Headline could be misinterpreted
Headline could be misinterpreted
The headline atop an Associated Press article on March 19 in the DuPage edition of the Daily Herald grabbed my attention. It read, "Pastor forged message during the civil rights era."
I was quickly drawn into the story to learn if the Rev. Jeremiah Wright had plagiarized a sermon early in his ministry. I soon discovered that the headline writer had used the verb "forge" in the sense of forming, not falsifying.
This experience reminded me of a writing axiom that I have heard for many years from editors and professional writers. "If a sentence can be misread, rewrite it."
The Rev. Wright wasn't wrong this time.
Glenn Arnold
Wheaton
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