Comments right, but tone not even close

Sara Washburn

As a resident of Huntington Beach, I love reading the Independent and

regard it as a healthy source for keeping up on community news.

However, I am writing to express distaste for Danette Goulet’s

Editor’s Notebook, “City officials should have dug deeper” (July 29).

I agree with all of Goulet’s points and similarly share

frustration regarding the issue with Joe O’Conner and his Community

Parks Foundation. However, why is it that every time somebody does

something awful, illegal or controversial in our city, somebody at

the Independent has to be cutting and degrading while reporting it? I

feel Goulet’s mocking sarcasm and spiteful comments toward the city

are uncalled for and lacking character.

Goulet is not the only writer who has insulted somebody or some

group while reporting an issue or expressing an opinion at the

Independent. Why is it that if someone in our government or our city

lacks character (integrity, moral backbone, ethics) that we think we

now have a pass to write about them or the issue in a way lacking

character on our part? We are not children that we should throw snide

remarks at those we think deserve it.

I would like to see a lot more class and maturity from those

reporting and commenting on the news.

* Sara Washburn is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to

“Sounding Off” e-mail us at hbindy@latimes.com or fax us at (714)

965-7174.