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Letter to the Editor

Which is more ludicrous: content or column?

Editor:

I have read your so-called “newspaper” for some time now, but I have not bothered to respond to any of your tripe until now. After reading Chris Jones’ “The good, the bad and the ludicrous,” I finally had to speak out with a voice of reason.

This article is not good journalism. This is not critical thinking. This is not presenting a reasoned argument designed to sway others to your point of view. This is hate speech, nothing more. Jones opens his piece by saying, “On the good side, Rush Limbaugh has now had to officially add Racist Junkie Hypocrite to the Big Fat Idiot which normally proceeds his name.” How is that anything but slander? Instead of providing some reasoning to support his point of view (as to why Rush is a hypocrite and/or racist), Jones simply resorts to name calling like a 5-year-old child.

And that is just the beginning.Moving on to the California recall, Jones says, “California only got half a horse, and the south end of a horse headed north at that.” He blathers and says, “Now the fifth-largest economy in the world is going to be led by a guy who has spent fully one-half of his adult life staring at his own ass in the mirror.” What a mature, thought-provoking statement, Jones. Never mind the fact that Schwarzenegger is also a very successful businessman. But who needs facts or logic when you can just resort to name calling, right Jones? Jones is the one who is showing his ass in his column, not Arnold.

Obviously Jones thinks that good journalism equates to the kind of non-thinking, name-calling journalism that he displays in his column. “[The national media] could have noted that the whole recall was just dollar democracy and a right-wing power grab. They should have said in the beginning that the recall was nothing more than a circus, and Arnold was the lead clown,” he writes. Does Jones really think that what he just said was “objective”? Certainly Jones can’t be that stupid. Perhaps he simply doesn’t know the meaning of the word “objective.” Objective does not mean that you simply slander those who disagree with your point of view. Objective means that you look at all of the facts of a story, something that is completely lacking from Jones’ column, and from the majority of the columns in the Ebbtide too.

Is this an example of liberal “compassion”? Half a page of hate and slander? Chris Jones should be ashamed of himself, but I’m sure he isn’t. I’m sure that he has never bothered to look at anyone else’s point of view besides that which has been spoon-fed to him by his liberal professors. Instead of trying to provide a thoughtful response to those who don’t agree with him, Jones simply demonizes them and calls them names like a little boy. It’s time to grow up, Jones, and join the adult world. Unfortunately, you aren’t alone.

According to Jones, the California election is another example of the complete worthlessness of the national media. According to me, the first-grade reasoning displayed by Jones’ article is another example of the complete worthlessness of the Ebbtide. Unfortunately, unlike the national media, I am forced to subsidize your hate speech.

Have a nice day.

Andrew Barron