Letters: Capistrano Dispatch Should Rethink Its Letters Policy

Letters to the editor policy: To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, email us at letters@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers. Please limit your letters to 350 words.

RON BACON, San Juan Capistrano

In the Nov. 9-22, 2018 edition, only two letters were published and they concerned national issues and took decidedly partisan positions without rebuttal (I understand that these were the only two letters received prior to this edition going to press).

I believe that you’d be better off printing no letters or soliciting counterbalancing opinions than publishing in such a lopsided way. I propose that you make and clearly state a policy decision that “Letters” are to be local in nature and concerning how residents of SJC and CA might work cooperatively on issues that don’t divide us (at least not as much).

The two letters appear to be an effort to portray those opposed to the Obama-era EPA rulings and to the U.N. IPCC’s position as “anti-science,” which is in and of itself dishonest and non-scientific. Given that only about 7 million Californians voted for governor out of a population of about 39 million, it would be interesting to know what percentage of SJC voters participated in this past election.

That would be noteworthy and could be the basis of non-partisan reporting about voter behaviors and possible attitudes. If SJC residents’ voting patterns reflect those of the state, I’m interested in helping to educate and encourage my fellow townspeople so that we don’t fall prey to the thought that our votes really don’t matter anymore.

Although encouraged to write a rebuttal to the letters, I’d prefer to not get into a discussion regarding the man-made global warming hoax or the endangered species act as neither is something that gets decided on a local level. Instead, I’d prefer to see a change in the topics of conversation in the Dispatch Letters section. I hope to see The Capistrano Dispatch make every effort to fulfill its commitment to what’s looking like the lost art of unbiased reporting, at least on a national level.