“The paper doesn’t need a guy from Mississippi riling up the locals. (We manage that fine on our own.) Readers deserve better than a syndicated columnist who relies on fear tactics rather than facts to substantiate his opinion.”

Our local editorial page alternates several syndicated columnists. There’s variety, with well known North Carolinians John Hood and D.G. Martin offering a civil dose of right and left and in-between opinions to lesser known Alec Jones from an independent, non-partisan, non-profit policy organization. Let us not forget retired pastor Lib Campbell who also has NC roots and regularly reminds us of how to find our better selves. Add the Post editor and local writers with personal passions and humor and the editorial page can be interesting, educational, infuriating, inspiring, and down-right funny. 

Except for one anomaly, Daniel L. Gardner, a syndicated columnist from Mississippi. I certainly didn’t recognize his name or his credentials from the scat information provided. Some of his columns make me think he’s running for elected office – poorly. He certainly provides no substance in most of his ramblings.   

Mr. Gardner has a right to his opinion, however, how can he be taken seriously as a professional? I have serious questions about his integrity as a journalist, as his columns have become more charged with finger pointing and name calling and blanketed proclamations to lump everything he doesn’t like together and label it an evil force out to “get” whatever it is he approves of at the moment.

The paper doesn’t need a guy from Mississippi riling up the locals. (We manage that fine on our own.) Readers deserve better than a syndicated columnist who relies on fear tactics rather than facts to substantiate his opinion.

Pam Everhardt Bloom