I commend the Nelson Star, in the April 14 issue, for correcting their omission of a significant paragraph in Michelle Mungall’s response to a public letter written by Paul Edwards. However, the Star could have done much better by republishing the whole response so that readers would have had the full context.
In the same edition, I was shocked and offended to see, on page A5, the display ad with a message from Dick Murphy regarding East Indian immigrants financially benefiting from B.C. sawmills while “being silent as the forests are being decimated.”
Mr. Murphy has been running display ads regarding deforestation for a long time. He has an opinion and is willing to pay to let Star readers know his thoughts. I have no quarrel with this. However, to cite a specific national, ethnic, racial or immigrant group of people with regard to a larger forestry practice that Mr. Murphy doesn’t like is blatant racism, and, in my opinion, his comment borders on being libelous. I am disappointed and disheartened that the Star printed this ad without regard for the insult to a specific group of people. Is there no standard in the newspaper industry that prohibits accepting such an advertisement, or is money the most important factor here?
I hope the Star will equally apologize to readers on this matter as has been done with the omitted paragraph. Perhaps Mr. Murphy will issue an apology as well.
P’nina Shames
Nelson
Publisher’s note:
The Nelson Star reviews both editorial and advertising submissions. The comments referred to in the letter from P’nina Shames do not reflect our standards. We regret publication and apologize to our readers and to the East Indian community.
Eric Lawson, publisher