In a biography of Voltaire, Evelyn Beatrice Hall wrote: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” as an illustration of Voltaire’s beliefs in the principle of freedom of speech.
A healthy society encourages debate and differing views — but also seeks moderation and civility.
The half dozen writers who swamp the Letters to the Editor day after day, week after week, are abusing the very freedoms which journalists have long fought to preserve.
That these writers do not recognise this is ironic and laughably absurd.
Their dominance of Letters to the Editor and its online response facility is disproportionate and abhorrent.
For the past few years, The Gisborne Herald has given these few people a platform.
They have a field day through sheer volume and some might say they are ill-informed, irrational, downright batty, and often nasty in their disagreement with, and disapproval of others.
They seem to have virtual ownership of the Letters space.
It is long past time the paper exercised stronger moderation as the Letters to the Editor scene has become grossly unbalanced.
Roger Handford
