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Columns should not launch personal attacks on people in public office

Comparison of John Horgan and a Fox News personality was too much according to one reader
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Re: ‘Hulk Horgan’ hides health hole (B.C. Views, April 26)

It is expected and acceptable that print journalists should have personal biases and their columns will sometimes be slanted in those directions. What is not acceptable, however, is that they should launch personal attacks on people in public office.

Tom Fletcher’s remarks comparing the leader of the opposition to Bill O’Reilly, the Fox News talk show host who was fired for his sexual harassment of female co-workers and rude treatment of his talk show guests, was beyond a bridge too far.

When he is suggesting that “particularly women voters” should decide if John Horgan is premier material is an insidious way of inferring that he is disrespectful to women because he attempted to correct Christy Clark’s assertions in a radio debate. As a female this is an insult not only to my intelligence but also to Clark’s. This is a woman who was not only a radio talk show host, but has been in the rough and tumble of political life over many years and is quite capable of holding her own in any debate.

Then he goes on to say at the end of this diatribe that his column is not about Horgan’s personality, while obviously what followed was meant to be viewed in that negative light.

Shirley Stirrett

Langford