Article didn't establish connection to church
 
Letters to the Editor
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - Lubbock, Texas
 
Re: The article "New Lockney businessman has ties to polygamist Jeffs' hometown" by A-J Religion Editor Beth Pratt (A-J, May 5).

The article is a horrible piece of journalistic work in terms of ethics and integrity. Ms. Pratt wrote the article about the connection between the new Lockney businessman, Samuel Chris Fischer, and famed polygamist Warren Jeffs. The only connection she is able to prove is a shared hometown, but she manages to make that seem like a crime.

It appears Fischer is not given the opportunity to respond to allegations made by Ms. Pratt, which seem baseless to begin with. Why should an individual be barred or discouraged from opening a business because of a shared hometown with someone who is famous for the wrong reasons?

It's not as if Ms. Pratt proved Fischer is related to Jeffs or is part of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

According to Ms. Pratt's reasoning, people should not associate with individuals who have different ideas or religious beliefs. But aren't Christians supposed to be open and accepting to all? If we follow Ms. Pratt's example, we would question the motives of anyone from Cincinnati, because that is the hometown of murderer Charles Manson. And people from the town of Lynn, IN., must be avoided as well since cult leader James Warren Jones is from there.

From examples like these, it should be apparent that Ms. Pratt's reasoning is flawed and her intentions in writing the article are questionable. It is not her job to rally citizens of a town against a seemingly innocent outsider. Why would you want to live in West Texas if that is the case?

NAOMI KASKELA
Lubbock
 
LubbockOnline.com
Originally published May 25, 2007
 
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