Fascinated by Comments page writers

By Letter to the Editor on February 7, 2018.

Re: “Political leaders must exhibit higher standards,” Jan. 29

I started writing this letter to the editor to commend Jeremy Appel on his editorial. I was going to write things like “How can anyone so young exhibit such wisdom.” But then I again realized that there are quite a few very talented, skilled, capable and knowledgeable — younger and older — folks amongst the reporters/journalists contributing to not only the Medicine Hat News but also to the regional newspapers.

I realize I am not really qualified to comment on such skills and talents, but hey, I do subscribe — as do with many others — and am an avid reader of our News and I do see and recognize something intelligently, knowledgeably and skilfully expressed. I am referring to such writers as Peggy R., Collin G., Tim K., Gillian S., Ryan D., Jeremy A. and others just as qualified that I can’t quite remember unless I attended a course that teaches one how to reverse the relentless advance to well, to the eventual, you know, or was willing to check back on many older issues. But since my wife recycles them always, that would not be possible.

I also find many of our local guest columnists and letter writers and commentators absolutely fascinating, whether they are supportive and to me agreeable or entirely in the other direction.

A retired RCMP officer, for example, writes bluntly about what he knows is on the minds of quite a few others, but most of them are probably afraid of being politically totally incorrect and feel they would be called racist, anti-social, dinosaurs, out of tune, and end up losing some friends.

And then there is a Peter M. He apparently is included by what a virulently anti-whatever person calls “……evil leftist something or other.” That person would be someone one who since childhood, I suspect, has been indoctrinated by the “elites” that anything even slightly “socially responsible,” as in “social democrat,” is to be “avoided” at any cost. Peter is actually far further on the more reasonable and right track than many others. I, for example, do fervently hope that that new “right” provincial party led by that professional, prone to exaggerate, ex-federal politician, would go down to becoming a just “little” opposition

I’m always afraid that the days of good, truthful, intelligent, thorough, talented and vividly expressed “hard copy” journalism are somehow heading for extinction, as is often claimed. I — and I’m sure I speak for many others — sure hope not.

Ted Kohlmetz

Medicine Hat

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