Murder By Musing

In the Bellingham Herald, Letters To The Editors:

Nov, 27, 2007
Muses about anti-war protests
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Concerning the rioters at the shipyard in Tacoma. Where is the the National Guard unit that guarded Kent State when we need them?

Stu Hyatt Bellingham

How strange... the Editors of the Herald were so concerned about civility when the Mayors campaign got mean. But apparently wishing to see college students gunned down in the streets isn't a problem... as long as it's put in the form of a question.

The idea that the B'ham Herald would publish an eliminationist letter calling for murder didn't seem quite right, so I sent an inquiry...

To:Executive Editor Julie Shirley, Opinion Editor Scott Ayers

Julie & Scott,

I'm having a great deal of trouble working out what the Herald's policy on advocating murder in 'Letters To The Editor' is.

You printed a letter from Stu Hyatt which was titled "Muses about anti-war protests ". Mr. Hyatt says: "Concerning the rioters at the shipyard in Tacoma. Where is the the National Guard unit that guarded Kent State when we need them?"

That is unambiguously calling for the protesters to be gunned down. Putting it into the form of a question doesn't alter the fact that he is advocating murder.

A recent Herald "Our View" disapproved of the protests, saying: "The Friday protest was peaceful, unlike the recent thuggery in Olympia, where protesters have been attempting to block shipments of military equipment."

So is the criteria that it's alright to advocated killing people that the Herald Editors don't like?

An Opinion Blog entry titled "Peace must be made around Northwood Casino" said: "I had held out hope that once it became obvious that the Nooksack Tribe’s Northwood Casino was going to open that citizens opposed to it would give up their sometimes nasty fight to fend it off."

Since you disapprove of the continued protests of the Casino, would you print a letter that said; "Concerning the rioters at the Northwood Casino. Where is Sitting Bull and the warriors he brought to the Little Bighorn when we need them?"?

Unfortunately I haven't received a response.