Letter: Not honorable

Published 5:00 pm Thursday, October 13, 2005

I cannot believe what I heard on Thursday’s morning show on KAST radio. (Tom Freel’s response to Lars Larson’s comments about the Fort Clatsop fire.) Freel advocated discontinuing the Larson broadcast just because Larson said something which Freel believed was critical of our community.

If we in this county are not strong enough or wise enough to rise above some words we do not like, maybe we should take a second look at ourselves instead of blaming someone else.

Larson brings us very important information every day, such as safety for our children, protection of our property rights and how those rights are threatened, important information on how and what our Oregon legislators are doing and whether or not they are representing us. He lets us know what is happening in our education system, our business community, our judicial system, our penal system, etc.

Lars brings a conservative and honest perspective to this entire state, which is sorely needed to balance the liberal media of this area. A respectable media source, which I have always thought KAST to be, would not deal with an opposing voice by stopping their speech, but would engage them in an honest debate.

I don’t think that this was what happened when Freel cut off Larson, and it certainly would not be the honorable thing to do to suspend his broadcast on the station. It would be punishing the community by keeping information and perspective from us just because emotions were raw one day when they heard an opinion which they then interpreted as an insult. However, those most directly involved with Fort Clatsop are already developing plans to rebuild, and have not wasted their time being offended. I think this is the real spirit of our area – not what I heard on the show.

Still, Freel’s suggestion of discontinuing Lars Larson on KAST is an insult to this community which he claims to love. We can and we must be availed of many opinions so we can make up our own minds on issues, and there are certainly many issues on which we must be kept informed.

I have, for some time, obtained my local news by listening to KAST and have made an effort to patronize its advertisers. I will not be so inclined if they choose to keep Larson’s important information and opinions from me just because they disagree with something he said. Astoria is, after all, part of America. Where is our tolerance and understanding this time?

CHRISTINE BRIDGENS

Warrenton