The letter to the editor by John T. McDonald (Globe, Oct. 24) states that he is impressed by the standards of the written opinions that are published on the editorial page. He notes that the increasing number of varying points of view is very encouraging.
At this point I’m thinking, wow, I can actually agree with this reasonable position. Usually, Mr. McDonald and I are at opposite opinions involving issues of the day, with he being liberal and myself conservative. But suddenly, and predictably, his tone returned to its usual pious banter.
We now see what his true goal is: that newspapers should “more actively edit all news stories for flagrant misstatements of fact.” Those notations could be inserted immediately following factual error with the statement “correction” of “inaccurate.”
Finally, we learn what Mr. McDonald really wants newspapers to do. He wants newspapers to insert “editorial corrections” daily with all stories. But how are these corrections to be used? According to McDonald, this could “squelch the like of a LYING LIMBAUGH and other rank radio emulators who abuse broadcasting’s airways by feeding baseless fear.”
So there you have it folks. McDonald insists that newspapers should rewrite personal opinions to fit their political beliefs because liberals like McDonald don’t want to hear opposing positions expressed. It seems he is happy to have conservative opinion censored and manipulated but obviously those of superior liberal intellect, like Mr. McDonald, should not.
Ronald Reagan once stated that “liberals will defend to the death your right to agree with them.”
If the Globe were to follow McDonald’s advice, immediately following his editorial statement about Limbaugh and conservative talk radio, the following Globe comment would be required. Correction: “To correct Mr. McDonald’s inaccuracies it should be stated that tens of millions of Americans think that Rush Limbaugh is right.” Now that’s truth and accuracy.
Allen Shirley
Joplin
Opinion
Voices: Define ‘true and accurate’
- Opinion
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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Our View: Victims should come first
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