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<DIV><FONT size=2>When is a smear a smear?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>An article in yesterday's <EM>Daily News</EM> presents the
claim that candidate Isaac Young was/is a 'victim' of an anonymous smear
mailing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>First, I do not approve of anonymous political mailings; those
who send them ought be held accountable at criminal and civil law. To the
extent that these mailings convey false information such
mailings are counterproductive to the democratic process.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Having said that, has anyone seen the alleged smear mailing or
have scan of it to share here?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>From the meager information given in the news article it
appears that the some of the claims made in the mailing may be true.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Excepting the anonymous method of communication, is such a
mailing a smear if it gives truthful information? Various voters consider
all kinds of information when making a choice including candidates' past civil
and criminal court actions. Have we reached the point where we are so PC
that a person's criminal or civil court record is off-base to political
discussion? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I hope not because along with media failures to adequately
inform voters that's how we end up electing crooks, liars, crackpots, and the
terminally dumb.</FONT></DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<DIV>Wayne A. Fox<BR>1009 Karen Lane<BR>PO Box 9421<BR>Moscow, ID
83843</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:waf@moscow.com">waf@moscow.com</A><BR>208
882-7975<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>