I read and re-read with interest your “Other’s Opinion” article in the Austin Daily Herald where you sent people to the Surf Ballroom to hear Trump speak.

You want respect? Didn’t anyone in journalism school teach you that you earn respect? Our Founding Fathers gave you, the press, special privileges that the rest of us don’t have. They did that on purpose, and your sole obligation is to report the news, all of it, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Trump was dead-on again when he said the press is some of the most dishonest people in the world. Obviously some crackpot shouldn’t have thrown food or anything else at them, but to boo and jeer reporters is not inappropriate; you’ve earned every one of them. Your credibility is in the tank! In general, your articles are filled with half-truths, distortions and in some cases outright lies, i.e. The New York Times. You rarely miss the opportunity to report the negative issues concerning the conservative candidates while habitually giving the liberal candidate a free ride. I point specifically to the Democratic front-runner who is a foul-mouthed career criminal and with your help has managed to keep the public grossly uninformed.

I want to stress that I’m talking generally and not your paper specifically. You also should know that I’m not a conservative sorehead. I’m a lifelong independent, 77, who has always voted for who I thought would do the very best job for the country, but I must admit, thanks in part to the news outlets, it’s going to be very, very hard for me to vote for a Democrat ever again.

You want respect? Tell your industry to get out and earn it.

 

Ron Peters

Austin