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LETTER: Gazette opinion on alternative facts hurts paper's credibility

letter-sta

In response to the Gazette editorial board’s diatribe of Feb. 19, they say the President of the U.S. is rewriting the journalistic rules – and showing contempt for journalists. Republican presidents have traditionally taken substantial abuse from the mainstream media. Finally there is a President who is fighting back. Ask yourself why only five per cent of what the mainstream media reports about Trump is positive while roughly half of the country supports him and why less than 36 per cent of the media’s non-Democrat audience trust them. For the media to be respected it must first earn it. The constant attacks, distortions, omissions and lies they propagate do not instill respect.

You say he is ‘laughing at commoners’. To the contrary, he is supporting the working man. He has the highest employment numbers in many decades for all people including women, blacks and Hispanics. He has provided tax breaks for the majority. Most Americans say they are better off with Trump.

You say there was damning testimony of the president’s conduct in the Ukraine matter. I watched most of the sordid Democrat effort to unseat a duly elected President. You obviously did not. Did you miss the part where the House process was totally unfair to the President? Or maybe you missed the part that the Ukrainian President was not aware of any quid pro quo? Or finally, maybe you missed the part where, in the senate, Trump was acquitted. None of the witnesses the Democrat House Managers brought forward had hard evidence of Trump violating any law. They had machinations of the mind and they didn’t like his policies. Well opinions don’t count and if they don’t like his policies then they, like us in any job, should quit. This was a “made for television” show the Democrats concocted in an election year to falsely denigrate the President and influence the upcoming election. The President’s legal team ensured that the rule of law triumphed to the chagrin of the Democrats and the mainstream media. The Democrats’ disrespect for the rule of law and procedure was appalling. Of course you won’t hear or see that if you source the extremely biased CNN, MSNBC or the Post or much of the online misinformation. They hate Trump. You’d have to watch the proceedings to get at the truth. No president, Republican or Democrat, should have to endure what Trump has had to endure – nor should the American people. The Democrats have done nothing but obstruct. Think what co-operation could have accomplished.

You state: “Those who subscribe to ‘news’ via social media are bound to enjoy the news that suits them and not necessarily the news that espouses the truth.” You are correct and you have fallen precisely into that trap.

The editorial board of the Gazette has shown exactly why journalists are held in such low esteem. People can find the real facts these days if they dig deep enough below the propaganda of the media. Your credibility has taken a hit. Just because you want something to be true doesn’t make it so. Check your facts. Definitely critique Trump if you disagree with his policies, behavior or results but ensure you are basing your critique on fact. Don’t disrespect your readership by misleading them. Another point, don’t forget to critique the abysmal behavior of the Democrats and the senior staff of the FBI and CIA.

We all have problems. No one is perfect. How would you like to be singled out and constantly falsely accused? Think about it.

Don Diack, St. Albert

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