TO THE EDITOR:
As a former member of The Daily Tar Heel editorial board, I was disappointed in the recent attack on Bradley Bethel. Whether you agree or disagree with his positions, you have to respect the time and care he takes to research his subjects and present his opinions. He has been far more transparent and professional than many professors in this debate.
It takes little time and research to understand that Bethel is not seeking to absolve the University of wrongdoing. Instead, he has attempted to make sure that the wrongdoing is not misrepresented and misunderstood. That’s the sort of civic engagement that newspapers and places of higher education should be encouraging, not mocking.
Bethel has pursued his research and publications despite intimidation by faculty members. He has done so despite attacks from a lunatic fringe through social media and even the DTH. It is exactly the sort of determination and professionalism in the face of groupthink and hostility to which the journalists I worked with at the DTH aspired.
Attacking Bethel discourages the very thing the DTH should be encouraging: civic involvement, careful research and transparency. Bethel’s methodical research and essays raise important questions that otherwise would have never been asked. Engagement of this type makes democracies and institutions of higher learning stronger.
The DTH should apologize to Bethel. Then, it should ask itself why a citizen blogger has contributed more to the public understanding of this scandal than the University’s student newspaper. I wish more people on all sides of this debate emulated Bethel’s practices.
David Starnes
Fletcher, N.C.
