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October 11, 2002
The Register-Guard
welcomes letters on topics of general interest. Our length limit is 250
words; all letters are subject to condensation. Writers are limited to
one letter per calendar month. Because of the volume of mail, not all
letters can be printed. Letters must be signed with the writer's full
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released.
Mail letters to: Don't scream foul
I'm astonished at the sheer brass of Norman A. Kolln's
"Enough Bush-bashing" (letters, Oct. 1) bemoaning the liberal
media and pleading plaintively "how about less bias and giving the
Republicans and conservatives more consideration?"
Where is this sanctimonious self-righteousness when it comes to the
hundred-plus local hours of right wing hate radio every week? There is
zero consideration there. Or what about the so-called "fair and
balanced" right-wing agit-prop of the Fox News Network, which runs
24/7? Why is that bigotry OK?
Conservatives have reflexively decried all mainstream media as awash
in liberal bias ever since Tricky Dick told the press it wouldn't have
"Nixon to kick around anymore" in 1962. But that isn't the
case today, if it ever was.
If, as is implied, bias is a negative in journalism, then the
conservatives had better take the plank out of their own eyes before
screaming about the mote in The Register-Guard's. In the endless,
shrill, shrieking and screeching of the right wing commentators, the
very concept of fair and balanced coverage is not merely ignored but is
openly trampled and stomped on.
I have never found The Register-Guard to be liberal, but even
assuming that it were, then isn't it sheerest hypocrisy to denounce the
mildest rebuke of President Bush, when the conservative hatemongers who
style themselves journalists breathlessly dote on his every
pronouncement and mindlessly attack the mildest criticism, no matter how
well-founded?
Don't scream foul when you've never been fair.
HART WILLIAMS |
