Letters to the Editor

A number of years ago, the Journal decided to increase their national exposure by partnering with USA Today. I was familiar with them, as I traveled from 1975 through 2005 to trouble jobs all over the U.S. I usually was given a complimentary copy at the hotel. I thought it was a good read.

At some point, they went away, and the Washington Examiner seemed to take their place. This newspaper is Fox News, except in print. It was very partisan, where the facts did not matter and is not suitable for a local newspaper.

Now we have the Washington Times. This is a better read, but still shows right leaning messaging. The headlines can be misleading. I decided to review one article that caught my eye. The headline screamed, "Democrats ignorant of climate change!" The article quoted a survey of 1,500 people indicating that Democrats knew less than Republicans about climate change. I thought a survey of 1,500 would not yield accurate results for a country of 330 million people. It did not state the questions asked or who was surveyed. The company that did the survey also had a vested interest in anti-climate change. So how accurate would this survey be?

Does the Journal need national news/commentary pages with partisan content? No. I believe the two full pages on Friday can be put to better use!

We are bombarded with options for new — cable channels, local TV channels, internet, social media, periodicals, and newspapers. Who to trust? I would think that the local newspaper would be the one, but now I am skeptical! The Opinion Page has large letters stating "Opinion." Many authors twist facts and mislead. Amazingly, a single word can change a meaning significantly. Readers can verify opinions, but getting to a truthful source can be time-consuming and difficult. A cable news executive once indicated that they just report on what people say. It is not up to them to verify! But who will challenge?

P.S. The best part of the "Opinion" page is the cartoons — the point arrives quickly.

Bill Hines

Tupelo

Reader meets Santa in local Walmart

On Wednesday morning in the West Main Walmart, I met Santa!

He was not wearing a red suit, but had on blue overalls and a plaid shirt. He had a snow white beard and had a deep, pleasant voice. He was not there shopping, but was there to make someone's morning happier.

It just happened to be my day!

This gentleman could not possibly have known my mission there that morning. I was actually shopping for three children who would not have had any Christmas gifts. How do you explain to a child there will be no gifts, even when they have been very good?

But, because of this man's generosity, three children will have a better Christmas. Not only will they have a few surprises from a stranger, but they will also have a book that will tell them the story of the greatest gift of all: God's only son, Jesus. 

Thank you, Santa, for your kindness. May God bless you always with peace and happiness.

Ruth Pearson

Tupelo