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Why publish those poor articles, Observer? (Mosiah should luv this!)
Monday, October 06, 2008
Dear Editor,
I am greatly disturbed that the Jamaica Observer newspaper allows certain material to be published. Your letters to the editor always seem to have one or two persons whose arguments are just so poor.
This past week had a few letters that were pretty bad and I wonder who in your editorial department makes the decision to publish them!
I've kept quiet for years, but in reading a lot of the "intellectual foolishness" constantly written by the Rev Ernle Gordon, who your paper seems to enjoy publishing, I had to write. Last week's submission by him was very bad, as usual. His flawed arguments about how "we frightened the Americans" with our athletic prowess is just so stupid.
Another was a letter by Professor Carolyn Cooper, whose defence of Portia's re-election, admonishing an editorial by your paper, was again very bad. I am sure she wouldn't have given her students "As" for writing anything resembling the weak lines of argument she wrote last week.
I cannot see why your paper would publish this! Maybe, and rightfully so, you want to show that you are not above criticism. But her argument was pretty poor.
On the other hand, maybe we should be thanking you for giving us insight into her apparent shallow thought process and revealing the brain trust that our tertiary students are exposed to!
I don't believe in censorship, but last week also, two of your contributors wrote very appalling columns. One was by Lloyd B Smith and the other by Mervin Stoddart. These guys have the opportunity to reshape our culture into something meaningful, given their media outlet, and what do they do?
They end up writing (I'll paraphrase) personal attacks: "Bruce, you cannot shut me up!" and weak opinions: "the Euro-American axis of evil crippling the black world". This is a poor showing on these two guys' part. Please guys, do better with the opportunity given to you.
Please Observer, I beg you, our country is lacking an intellectual culture, publish articles that will expand the minds of our people. This is the only way the nation can move forward, not through sports, as everyone seems to think nowadays!
Kavon Fiennes
kfiennes@gmail.com
Monday, October 06, 2008
Dear Editor,
I am greatly disturbed that the Jamaica Observer newspaper allows certain material to be published. Your letters to the editor always seem to have one or two persons whose arguments are just so poor.
This past week had a few letters that were pretty bad and I wonder who in your editorial department makes the decision to publish them!
I've kept quiet for years, but in reading a lot of the "intellectual foolishness" constantly written by the Rev Ernle Gordon, who your paper seems to enjoy publishing, I had to write. Last week's submission by him was very bad, as usual. His flawed arguments about how "we frightened the Americans" with our athletic prowess is just so stupid.
Another was a letter by Professor Carolyn Cooper, whose defence of Portia's re-election, admonishing an editorial by your paper, was again very bad. I am sure she wouldn't have given her students "As" for writing anything resembling the weak lines of argument she wrote last week.
I cannot see why your paper would publish this! Maybe, and rightfully so, you want to show that you are not above criticism. But her argument was pretty poor.
On the other hand, maybe we should be thanking you for giving us insight into her apparent shallow thought process and revealing the brain trust that our tertiary students are exposed to!
I don't believe in censorship, but last week also, two of your contributors wrote very appalling columns. One was by Lloyd B Smith and the other by Mervin Stoddart. These guys have the opportunity to reshape our culture into something meaningful, given their media outlet, and what do they do?
They end up writing (I'll paraphrase) personal attacks: "Bruce, you cannot shut me up!" and weak opinions: "the Euro-American axis of evil crippling the black world". This is a poor showing on these two guys' part. Please guys, do better with the opportunity given to you.
Please Observer, I beg you, our country is lacking an intellectual culture, publish articles that will expand the minds of our people. This is the only way the nation can move forward, not through sports, as everyone seems to think nowadays!
Kavon Fiennes
kfiennes@gmail.com