I was inclined to agree, until...

I was inclined to agree with Richard Hatch, until I read Clair Gamache's response.

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Get the whole story

Richard Hatch
 
Letters | Saturday, February 11, 2017

People are upset over President Donald Trumpery’s executive order on banning refugees from certain hostile countries. Yes, logistical issues were not worked out ahead of time — shame on him. But the Sun Journal printed a picture of a girl appearing to cry on the front page (Jan. 31) and printed one-sided information about the executive order — shame on it. The paper's reporters are supposed to be professional journalists, A professional journalist would get the whole story, pros and cons, not just one side like a gossip magazine.

Because of a few thugs, criminals and incompetents, law-abiding citizens must fight for their constitutional right to have guns.

The Confederate battle flag has been banned from public display because of a warped individual.

Welfare reform is affecting many because of a few freeloaders and greedy providers.

Whole police departments are seen as villains because of a few bad officers.

Liberals had no problem with most of those bans and limits, so why a problem with Trump's temporary ban? He is just trying to make sure the immigrants coming to America are properly vetted.

Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama all had bans on immigration from “hostile” countries at some point in their presidencies.

I tried to have a conversation with some protesters but I was called hateful names. How do we have a conversation when no one is willing to hear the other side of the story?

Richard Hatch, Hebron

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Hateful names?

By CLAIRE GAMACHE, Community Member, LEWISTON — Sat, 02/11/2017 - 08:45

How about "thugs, criminals, incompetents, warped individual, freeloaders, greedy providers"? If you want civilized conversation you might start by being a little more civilized. What goes around comes around. And professional reporters don't tell both sides both pro and con. Only the ones who want to sell advertising do. When one side is clearly lying the truth is not on both sides and responsible reporting is to tell the truth. For example our new AG says the crime rate is higher than ever but the people who keep track say it is half what it was in 1991. There is no way to report that responsibly except to say it is a lie. And what it is with you that the sight of a child crying offends you? Are you under the impression that hiding evil makes it disappear. Cruelty is evil. Trumpery,s ban was cruel because it did the same thing to innocent people you complained about with the gun laws. It harmed millions to try to catch a handful. Even worse it did not stop the terrorist attack that did occur in Canada. Instead it focused on a possible attack that was unlikely since no attack has happened in this country by a refugee ever. So your outrage at a picture of a girl in pain is an attempt to stifle the voice of your conscience not a call for fairness.

SJ Link