Trump is not the âmost the most open to the press.â He is the most dishonest to the press. He tells nothing but lies.
Keep up the good work and expose this disgusting administration for what it is and protect our first amendment rights.
Glenn Scherkenbach
TR Kerthâs article in the Sun Day June 27 edition included his thoughts about political freedom and its expression by journalists.
The publisher reported receiving a number of letters objecting to Kerthâs article. Some didnât approve of the articleâs references, especially in a community newspaper.
The July 11 edition contained two of the âHang Your Hatâ objections along with a Sun Day editorial regarding the Newspaperâs history of politically referenced articles.
Both of the published dissenters found TRâs political opinion objectionable. One of the Hang Your Hat contributors promised not to read the paper and would put his copy in the recycle bin. Another predicted a loss of 51% of Sun Day readership.
Should the dissenters consider cooler heads, they may want to reconsider their actions and enjoy the remainder of the newspaper. Why boycott the entire paper because of an objection to one article?
There are many opinions about a lot of things with which we may not agree, but I wonder if those that have opposite opinions throw the newspapers and magazines in the trash, or shut the TV off to avoid reading or hearing opinions that they disagree with.
Many thanks for our community newspaper, including all other print publications and all media which express various opinions. I donât agree with those who object to TRâs article, but I support their right to say it. Condemnation of a columnist and the Sun Day newspaper which publishes various articles are over the top.
Câmon guys! Lighten up and when time is available, a reading of the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution should be of interest.
Jim Darow
N5
A letter to the editor recently proclaimed that our president was the âmost open to the pressâ That might be true if you are talking about FOX news, a station recognized to be the mouthpiece for the White House. The President rarely has press conferences and when he does he doesnât address questions, just praises himself and rants. Even Fox has pointed out the lack of transparency and outright lies of this President. So NO, Trump is not âopen to the press.â
Re: âEnemy of the People.â Yes, you can call legitimate criticisms of your policies as âFake Newsâ but it doesnât make them go away nor does it solve the very real problems this country is facing.
Re: The guy who will be putting his future issues of the Sunday in the recycle bin…well..at least he is thinking about our planet. It’s unfortunate that he can’t take it to the next level and support those who have real concerns about climate change.
Thanks for speaking up! Please continue to protect our first amendment rights.
Bonnie Scherkenbach
Sun City resident
Editor,
I clearly support your willingness to publish articles and opinions across a broad spectrum of thought. TR Kerth provided a voice that reflects a portion of this community that has a right to be heard. As you note in your masthead âThe view of the writers do not necessarily reflect those views of the owners, staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.â I equally support your willingness to publish letters voicing opposition to Mr. Kerthâs opinion. This exchange of ideas is what America was founded on, and as long as it continues, America will be a shining example of democracy around the world.
Randy Lawrence
Sun City resident
We are writing to voice our strong APPROVAL of both TR Kerth’s “Enemy of the People” column and editor La Pelusa’s insightful review focusing on Americans’ traditional right to free speech.
We do not, however agree that the Trumps administration is no different from other administrations in its complains about the press. No other president has dared claim that any news unflattering to him and his policies is evidence of bias and can be labeled “Fake News” without any proof other than his ranting twitters.
When leaders resort to bullying, name-calling, admiring authoritarian rulers who have abused the media, and praising body slamming of reporters, they go way beyond “booing” the press. American leaders who resort to such tactics seriously erode cherished American values they indeed become “Enemies of the People” and should be recognized as such.
We are grateful the Sun Day has not buckled down to the few who refuse to recognize this.
Joan and Larry Davis
Sun City residents
My Sun City neighbor TR Kerth is a splendid author, commentator, and storyteller, but his surprising political attack on President Trump qualifies as a hit job. The never-Trump crowd will love it.
In his recent column in the Sun Day, he traces the genesis of the words “Enemy of the People,” and finds that it originated way back in 1882 in the writings of Henrik Ibsen. He applies the saying to the statements of President Trump in his castigating of journalists and the press. Of the nation’s commander in chief, planet earth finds him to be an out of control, ego maniac who “trades the welfare of the people for his self aggrandizement” and labels the press as the “Enemy of the People” for their exposing his corruption and misdeeds.
I found the column interesting, but well-constructed fiction. Mr. Kerth’s big problem is that “our Commander-in Chief” (as Kerth consistently refers to President Trump) has never said that the press is the “Enemy of the People.” What he did say is that journalists and newsmen that intentionally lie and provide “fake news” are the Enemy of the People.
I am a retired Chicago reporter and editor and I have known both honest and dishonest journalists. I am in full agreement with the president that journalists who lie and misrepresent facts and tell readers and listeners that white is black and black is white—they are the enemy of the people.
Planet Kerth, though perhaps unintentionally, has assumed the role of loyal Democrats whose principal aim is to denounce and bring down the 45th President. Mr. Kerth accepts the twisted and cherry-picked words attributed to the President, and asserts that the President says them “every time he refers to the press.”
No effort is made by Mr. Kerth, the storyteller, to check for accuracy. If he did so, he might find that the President does not call for dumping the first amendment and “muzzling the press,” as he writes. But then, it might get in the way of a good yarn.
In today’s political climate, inaccurate representations of what President Trump has said is common place. Viewers and readers are led to believe that the quotes are accurate and have even been “fact checked” and confirmed as authentic. Unfortunately, misstatements become the “true” record and are the gospel for partisan critics.
Author Kerth says that he did research into the genesis of the saying “Enemy of the People” and then found a ski board to tie into the fabricated anti first amendment statements of the “commander in chief.”
Maybe Planet Kerth ought to do some research into when the Commander in Chief first used the words “Enemy of the People” and how and why. It might be enlightening for him. Then again he might want to confine his future columns to more mundane matters and stay out of politics.
Bill Juneau
Sun City resident
When people drive by Kreutzer Road and 47, a prominent sign from Panera Bread restaurant – To Be Open In 2020. The sign was first posted in 2018. What is going on with that organization? Are they having second thoughts of coming to Huntley? Are the screws turning too tight, are the sales down at the other restaurants? Itâs laughable – a phantom restaurant in the making.
June Leinwander
Sun City resident
I did not read the article by Kerth but I am sure, considering the letters to HYH this week, that I would have agreed with it whole heartedly. I have lived here for 20 years and we generally stay away from politics as I was taught years ago to do when I went into business. Sun City Huntley was basically a white community which was predominantly Christian and Republican. Today, happy to say, we have people of all races living here and more religions. Evidently there are people living here who donât know why this country was formed. Freedom of religion, thought, and speech are guaranteed in the Constitution.
Mr. Kerth expressed his opinion, and because you have different opinions and are so narrow-minded that you donât want to hear opinions other than yours, the Sun Day printed your letters. They are not biased as you are. No FAKE news here, just people expressing their opinions, which as Americans, we are allowed to do. If you are so narrow minded that you would stop reading a paper that has brought this community so much info and pleasure, then by all means donât read it. You get it for FREE. No other paper in the area is free. Since most papers are against Trump (so you say) stop reading newspapers altogether, but one should wonder why is it that they are? Perhaps you will learn something.
I for one love the paper and all it offers and I thank Chris for publishing it.
Eudice Germaine
Sun City resident
