Letter’s response was too personal

Gene Felder

The Coastline Pilot has an ethical and professional obligation to

ensure that what you publish is truthful.

Certainly those on the Board of Directors of the Festival of Arts

do not want to be criticized. I have donated time and money for many

causes without any personal financial benefit to me. When I am

criticized, I know that it hurts and feel that I am not being

appropriately appreciated. Nonetheless, all citizens should be

encouraged to state their opinions on public policy. It is not

appropriate for the Coastline Pilot to be a vehicle for distortions

and personal attacks to silence critics regarding issues important to

the people of Laguna Beach.

If I encouraged people to vote for David Young, Carolyn Reynolds

and Anita Mangels for the Festival of Arts Board, and say it’s time

for Bruce Rasner to leave, that is not a personal attack.A personal

attack is committed when a person substitutes abusive remarks for

evidence when examining another person’s claims or comments and uses

it as a means of avoiding discussion of the relevance or truthfulness

of what the person said. It works on the reasoning that, by

discrediting the source of an argument, e.g. the person making it,

the argument itself can be weakened. This line of “reasoning” is

fallacious.

In a Sounding Off column by Lu Campbell, (“Rasner has done plenty

for Laguna and the Festival of Arts,” Coastline Pilot, Aug. 22), the

Coastline Pilot published an untruth: “There have been a number of

income-producing concepts put before the festival board, but this

board has absolutely no intention of franchising the pageant. The

only franchising is in a few misinformed minds.” I am assuming that

the editors know that the word franchising is exactly a proper term

to describe replicating an enterprise to another area whether in

thousands or just a second venue.

In this same column, the Coastline Pilot published personal

attacks including “But this time Gene Felder has gone too far.” ...

“Felder’s accusations against Bruce Rasner are apparently based on

misinformation” and “Shame on you Gene Felder,” which means one

should be treated with dishonor, disgrace or condemnation.

The Coastline Pilot Sounding Off column made personal attacks,

coupled with positive comments on Bruce Rasner that we all agree

with, while “avoiding discussion of the relevance or truthfulness of

what the person said.” I have e-mailed the author requesting relevant

information. I have now written four times to folks involved with the

Festival of Arts and once again, I have not received a letter in

response.

The Coastline Pilot should improve its journalistic standards and

be able to distinguish between opinions and personal attacks. The

open and free exchange of ideas and the health of our democracy

require no less.

* GENE FELDER is a Laguna Beach resident.