Fairness

I think that their hearts are in the same place as mine, (I guess I can't say the right place, because who am I to say where that is? :D, but I do wish they'd be more careful with their terminology in the Journalism classes here.

Fairness. I can tell from most of what they say that they agree with me - you should use an objective process, try to start out as prejudice and bias free as you can, and then come to the logical conclusion at the end, taking as much data as you have into account. This is idealistic, of course, but it is... idealistic. :D

But then I see a line like,

"Should we have to be fair to terrorists?"

My answer is, "What? Yes, of course!"

The current, strong American fear of terrorism aside, it's not that I like them any more than anyone else. But then I realize that here they are using fair to describe the end product. To me, that isn't fairness.

In this situation, for me:

Innapropriately trying to avoid 'bias' at all costs, 'being fair' as the question asks:
Supporting the terrorist, presenting their techniques are equally valid, etc, in spite of any sort of evidence or ordinary human feelings towards the subject.

Appropriately trying to avoid 'bias' in the process, not in the conclusion, as I believe the class is trying to teach us:
Fairly and objectively looking at all the evidence to determine whether or not the -person- is, in fact, a terrorist. Then, look at and try to understand their reasons for doing what they did. This needn't, and shouldn't, justify it, but reasons are just as important as hard facts.

For me, this second is what I think of when I hear 'fair'. 'Fair' means equal chance, equal beginning, before inspection of evidence. It does not mean an unwavering commitment to being completely nonpartisan even after the evidence is examined. Even non partial judges JUDGE! As a journalist, you probably shouldn't, depending on your arena, do the actual judging yourself. But no one expects you to straddle both sides without expressing any sort of feeling, or trying to keep two things balanced when they are not balanced. Sometimes the truth is inequality.