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To the Editor,
Invitation to discuss "There are reasons for our letters policy" that was published Sunday, March 29.
Mr. Howell's article made quite an impression on me and I would love to read your perspectives on the topic also. In case you missed it, he wrote about why it is so important for him to verify the author is legitimate, because many times he has received form letters disguised as authentic thoughts by one of our neighbors. Form letters that have been sent to him by companies in order to sell you a product or idea. When I read this, I paused to consider the chain of events that could be caused by news articles in disguise. Thank you Mr. Howell because your integrity makes a difference in our quality of life, let me explain why I think so.
Weirton is home and I was born here, but I also lived and worked in Silicon Valley for 20 years. Increasingly I noticed that in casual conversations, people (I worked with eye care professionals across a five county area) would discuss the headline of the day. As time went on, discussions became reactions and reactions turned indignant and unchallenged. What caused the terrible news, it was just "they". When I read that article yesterday morning I wondered whether news could have had some effect on this increase in dramatic indignation. So I thought back about the local news where I lived in California. The Mercury News was the local circulation and it serves approx 3-4 million people and businesses. Aren't you curious what the headlines were in the Mercury News today? I was so I looked it up. Nine out of ten headlines were about Covid 19 including the headline "Santa Clara County could see 2,000 deaths in 12 weeks" and the 10th headline was about puppies. Mr. Howell, from reading your articles, I am not sure you would publish this perspective and because of this we all benefit.
A hot topic right now is, do the numbers justify the panic when it comes to Covid 19 reactions. Regardless, I don't think I am alone when I say I appreciate the considerate ways that I have seen many people acting. I have seen people at the gas pump using sanitary wipes and way more fist bumps than I am used to seeing, which has been fun.
Eron Chek
Weirton