Letters to the Editor
July 26, 2020
An Open Letter to El Ojo del Lago
To: Victoria A Schmidt, Editor-in-Chief
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Greetings,
As a resident of Lakeside since 2012, I share a deep love for my community with most expats living here. I enjoy living in an area that is diverse and highly tolerant of difference. I want our community to continue to be as inclusive of everyone as possible.
I am very concerned with the extreme polarization north of the border and the outrage culture that has emerged.
In this light I would like to express my concern with the article Idiocy and Pandemics by John Ward in the July issue of El Ojo. It is not the content of the article that troubles me. Rather, it is the tone of the article, the language and the insensitivity to others to which I strongly object.
Like John Ward, I am not a religious person. But I am aware that there is a vibrant faith community in Lakeside. Weekly Worship in the Guadalajara Reporter regularly lists religious organizations which presumably have many members. They too are part of our community. Yet John Ward effectively dismisses them all as idiots. I can imagine how they feel reading his article.
Like John Ward, I am no fan of the current administration in the USA. I lean left politically as the majority in Lakeside seem to do. But there are some leaning right living here and they too are part of our community. Yet John Ward effectively dismisses them all as stupid. Again, I can imagine how they feel reading his article.
Ward’s article probably resonates with most El Ojo readers. But I suspect that a significant minority would find it highly offensive. He is seemingly unaware that he is caught up in the culture war expressed with outrage.
I urge you as the new editor-in-chief to insist on an appropriate tone for all articles in El Ojo. I urge you to help keep the dysfunction from north of the border out of our fine community. We are in challenging times which creates much tension and fear. Let’s all take a deep breath and a step back. Let’s keep the culture war out of Lakeside and be inclusive of everyone.
Regards,
John Stokdijk
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John Ward’s Response:
“Tone?... TONE?!... I’ll have to check my graphic equalizer.”
[Ed. Note: Thank you for your note, I, too am concerned about the culture war overtaking our peaceful life here at Lakeside. I’ll do my best.]
