I applaud the comments sent in by Bruce Hawkins in regards to the divisive and insulting response to Jay Fleitman’s most recent monthly column by another reader. Mr. Hawkins, you are spot on with your meaningful words of wisdom!
Personally, I must admit, I’m probably more in line with Dr. Fleitman’s political ideology than a large percentage of readers of this newspaper. Although it is not a surprising revelation to anyone who frequently reads the Gazette, Dr. Fleitman simply emphasized the obvious left-wing bias the newspaper characterizes in his last column and offered a solution in an effort to add more interest and balance to the newspaper. Simple as that!
I too have been upset with a couple of the absolutely unnecessary but certainly provocative responses to Fleitman’ s last piece and also felt they should be responded to. But I chose to simply shrug my shoulders and say to myself: “What else would I expect to see in the Gazette?” That’s what I thought until I saw what Bruce Hawkins wrote. Words that actually offered some encouragement. What could be possibly wrong with us all learning how to reach out to each other civilly, despite differing ideological political lines?
I’ve grown to admire Dr. Fleitman as one who I see as very courageous in freely expressing his conservative opinions, despite swimming in a sea of overwhelming liberal idealism, while enduring many challenging suggestions that include almost threatening suggestions that he move to a more “red”-friendly area to reside. I will continue to look forward to Dr. Fleitman’s monthly column where he offers a complete 180-degree differing viewpoint than that of the hate-Trump columnists, which often consists of authors and teachers that quite obviously enjoy teaching people WHAT to think, rather than HOW to think.
Dr. Fleitman’s recent suggestion of having more conservative monthly special columnists included in the Daily Hampshire Gazette is sound and practical. In fact, the liberal writers of today might very well welcome the idea, as Donald Trump will eventually be gone, and they may find themselves drowning in the wake of writer’s block without him as fodder for their continually unimaginative subject matter.
A. Bruce Whittier
Southampton