Unlike yourself Mr. Lee, the 65 years I have been in this community, I have never written a letter to the editor until Sept. 30th, 2024, when at last I had taken all I could from an anti-Trump-bashing letter sent to the editor in the Sept. 19th edition by Donna Sarrett. Her letter started off with falsehoods and went downhill from there.
The editor didn’t mind printing her letter, but my response to it was never considered, apparently. Yes, it was a long letter because I answered most of her ranting and raving about Mr. Trump with facts and some with my opinion. Did the editor have to print my letter? No, they reserve that right!
It’s funny how in the article you referred to, “Putting presidential pressure on the PRESS Act,” dated Nov. 28th edition of The Eatonton Messenger, with Mr. Tocher addressing the freedom of the press issue, it’s almost laughable to hear the editor’s whining about his freedom of press.
The press has the freedom to print whatever they want on about any subject they want, but they also have a right to cut, edit, or not print at all any article they choose not to. In other words, they have a right to form the people’s opinion, who are not informed with both sides of the issue, by printing or reporting whatever the editor wants them to know. The freedom of the press was supposed to be reporting both sides of an issue without bias to either one, but most Americans can see how the news media reports only one side or adds their opinions to slant the news.
Example: they did not have to print my letter with facts to dispute Ms. Sarret’s letter, but they chose to print numerous letters which were nothing but political campaign letters (that should have been paid for, to be printed) from Richard Garrett who was running for a county commissioner seat. One such letter was printed the week my letter would have been printed but was passed by.
Mr. Lee, you may never read this letter unless I pass you by and give you a copy, but at least the editor will know it’s more than just you that have the same opinion of him! I’ve had a subscription to
for many years now and my current subscription will expire on September 1st in 2026. Never again will the Eatonton Messenger get my money, in fact, you can go ahead and cancel my current subscription, I don’t need your biased opinions to base my life on. Will I ever read the paper again? Yes, I will probably read the rag from time to time when I see it on the newsstand, or blowing across a parking lot, or lying in a ditch somewhere.
Good Riddance!
Mark Larman Putnam County