Opinion, yes, alternate reality, no

I hate to do this, especially in what should be a celebratory week, but this week, I'm going to toughen our standards for letters to the editor and refuse to print a letter that appears to be largely fiction.

The writer repeats debunked claims that the US presidential election was rigged and goes from there.

The electoral college has done its thing: Joe Biden, Jr., has been elected president and Kamala Harris vice-president. Lawsuits challenging election results have been thrown out of court for lack of merit and evidence.

An article in this week's issue covers the remarks of US Attorney General William Barr "saying he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to look into the president's claims about the 2020 election or to name one for the tax investigation of President-elect Joe Biden's son."

These remarks come from a man appointed by President Trump and who has been a strong supporter of the president during his tenure in office.

It's time for the people of this country to move on. There are lots of challenges facing us, and we're stronger together, not ripping each other apart.

One of the first ways to accomplish this is to agree on facts and not perpetuate alternate realities. While we allow considerable leeway in statements of opinion in letters, fiction is out.