The Signal’s Jan. 31 opinion page was entertaining.
One reader felt the need to explain there are three branches of government and Trump alone caused the recent partial shutdown; ignoring Congress’ part and the shutdowns under Clinton and Obama.
Another letter thinks The Signal’s editorial board owes a congresswoman an apology for “misrepresenting her voting record” and being eager “to help Republicans gaslight citizens about their shameful behavior.”
Both allegations are wrong-headed.
The third reader is unhappy in believing The Signal’s Sunday’s (free) edition is, in essence, too far right.
The Signal’s Sunday magazine is not intended to be a competitor to the L.A. or New York Times Sunday editions. It represents a composite of the week’s daily newspapers plus the editorial and the weekly commentary by a local pastor.
Makes sense: it’s Sunday.
Reading the daily papers, available free on-line, would give an insightful view of The Signal and plenty of left-of-center commentaries and letters would be found.
Tuesday and Wednesday’s commentaries are dedicated to Democrats and Saturday’s to Republicans; with various in between, syndicated and non-syndicated from both sides.
The reader appears to be new to The Signal. With that and his opinion, I’ll cite a personal experience arising out of one of the paper’s employees a number of years ago.
At that time I couldn’t count the number of complaints I heard from conservative writers that their letters, repeatedly, were not published. After several episodes, they essentially gave up writing; I did not.
I called multiple times and heard, “Oh, we didn’t get it, could you re-send”; or “It slipped between the cracks”; “the message is outdated now,” etc. Ultimately it was found that an employee afflicted with the Napoleon Complex was sending conservatives’ emails to a former employee’s e-address, DOA.
The professional and caring employee, who discovered it, corrected it on the spot.
I remain convinced that the upper management was unaware of errant employee’s antics.
Today’s Signal does not exclude letters due to political bent or criticism of the paper itself. The requirement is for the content to comply with the established standards, like no foul language, unwelcome name calling etc.
The SCV is fortunate to finally have a newspaper with this attitude of welcoming all points of view..
Betty Arenson
Valencia
