Liberal media claim wearingthin

Dear editor,

I don’t agree with Swede Hanson’s characterizationof John Kerry’s military service, particularly since Mr.Hanson presumably prefers the current occupant of the White House,who used political and family connections to avoid service inVietnam. How convenient, as Mr. Hanson might put it.

However, that is not the reason for my letter. Mr. Hanson claimsthat the “mainstream media” is not reporting on variousaspects of Kerry’s antiwar activism, including hisassociation with Jane Fonda and Vietnam Veterans Against theWar.

I don’t mind knee-jerk conservatives who feel the need toattack Kerry to protect their guy, but the liberal media conspiracyroutine is wearing very, very thin. When I saw Hanson’s pieceonline, I opened up a new window, typed in nytimes.com and searchedfor “Jane Fonda.” The search yielded eightKerry-related stories, op-eds and letters published since Feb. 12.One story was headlined “Conservatives Shine Spotlight onKerry’s Antiwar Record.”

That sounds like coverage to me. People can differ on themilitary service thing, but the media paranoia thing is acheap, fear-based political ploy.

Daniel J. Healy

MBA Candidate, May 2004

SMU Cox School of Business