DEAR CRABBY: Law Abiding, Second Amendment Loving Man Hates On Newspaper

DEAR  CRABBY: I’m upset that the Bucks County Courier Times is opposing legislation in Pennsylvania that would allow law suits to be filed against municipalities that have their own gun control laws that are stricter than state law.  So, I wrote a letter to the editor that was published in the paper today (3/7/2012 - Leftist Media Tactics).  I made sure everyone realized what a burden it would be on gun owners to deal with different laws in different parts of Pennsylvania.  I referred to the Newspapers actions in this case as “leftist media tactics.”  I asked why the paper hasn’t asked for Attorney General Eric Holder’s resignation on a completely different matter.  I think I wrote a pretty good letter, but some folks have said that I wasn’t following proper etiquette.  Was I in the wrong?   - Longing for Right Writing

DEAR LONGING:  Yes, you were wrong.  Name calling in the title of your letter isn’t so great.  Calling the paper leftist doesn’t add anything to your argument.  It’s just name calling.  In this case you also have a factual problem, since the Bucks County Courier Times isn’t the first paper one would normally think of as left leaning.  Bringing in Eric Holder was also not the right thing to do.  The failure to take a particular stance towards the Attorney General of the United States has little to nothing to do with the paper’s position on the proposed legislation in question.  If you want to take issue with the paper’s position, you really need to state that position and say why it is wrong.  You don’t even mention the paper’s main criticisms, that this is an attempt by the NRA to stop localities from penalizing folks who don’t report their guns missing and that the impact of this bill will fall squarely on the shoulders of tax payers.  It’s really rather simple.  Give your position, and support it with logic and reason.  Otherwise, stop writing things that other people have to look at.