Editor:
“Tattle Tale!” That’s what it sounded like recently when council tried to censure the Lakes District News for what they called unfair reporting.
How can our councillors not know that as politicians, their actions can always make the news? They have made a series of highly questionable decisions that have caught our attention, and the Lakes District News is keeping us informed. Our council is answerable to voters for what they do and how they do it. If they can’t handle public criticism, they’re in the wrong job. It’s undemocratic for politicians to try to muzzle the press.
What made council think it was appropriate to attack our newspaper? Such behaviour is extremely worrisome. Some politicians think they can muzzle the press to hide what they’re doing. Others think they can hide mistakes by blaming others.
In either case, politicians are openly disrespecting their electorate by acting as though voters won’t pay attention, won’t understand or won’t care what they’re doing. Fortunately for politicians, there is a constructive strategy that they can always use to reduce public criticism without attacking the press: do a good job!
Sincerely,
Rick Pooley