Letter to the Editor

Published: November 16, 2006

To the Editor:

I am appalled by what appears to be an indicated political bias in two items of recent publication in The Bulletin. First, there was a full-page advertisement of the Save Darfur organization deploring the genocide extant in that part of the world and blatantly suggesting that President Bush bore responsibility for not having provided more proactive leadership in preventing same. I took the trouble to check the Save Darfur Web site and while this organization actively solicits intervention by responsible authority it does so of all who have the means, including but not limited to nor enhancing that of our president.

The Bulletin states that it will not accept ads of “fraudulent, misleading, controversial or discriminatory nature.” Since the Save Darfur ad obviously directed criticism at the president, and since the ad was accepted for publication two weeks before elections, it does appear both controversial and discriminatory—at least in my judgment.

Unfortunately, this is followed up by a “news article” in the next issue headlined “Violence Makes Living ‘A Nightmare’ in Iraq.” No one could question the validity of that pronouncement. However, the article is hardly more than editorial commentary by an individual who proclaims that “violence, poverty and malnutrition are on the rise” since the start of the U.S.-led invasion, that the humanitarian situation has visibly worsened since 2003. Further, that “you hardly have one hour of electricity per day, access to food, water, health, education has deteriorated.” If such is “news,” where are the reports of the good that is provided by our military? If there is none, then that deserves to be reported—but if there are good happenings, it would be most Christian to credit those that practice what The Bulletin promotes.

Unless there are legitimate moral issues involved, religion and politics should be distinctly separate. I would hope you agree and maintain that posture in the future.

Ted Maznicki, Mt. Airy