Letters should not be propaganda

To The Eagle:

This forum can, and should, be used for making constructive arguments concerning specific issues that are of interest to the readers for the purpose of making everyone’s lives better. I chose to write this letter now because last week there were two extreme examples of a type of article that is meant to degrade other people’s perspectives by blurting out dozens of inflammatory and negative (from the writer's perspective) statements. This is an effective and convenient form of propaganda for two reasons. 1. It is far too difficult and cumbersome to argue against because there is just too much! 2. No evidence is needed, so one can be relieved of the burden of making a cogent argument for any of the particular issues.

These types of articles only serve to divide people and encourage stereotypes. I certainly think that people should be free to write such pieces but we should see them for what they are, political propaganda that only serves to divide people. I would suggest that if you feel like writing an article like the ones I have critiqued, that you join a support group where you can vent your anger.

Wahkiakum County is a place where we work together to help each other. Let’s use our community paper to do so. This does not mean that we must agree on everything. We should discuss issues on which we disagree, presenting reasonable arguments, offering thoughtful solutions, and respecting fellow community members.

Rick La Greide

Skamokawa