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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ​Complaints about column unfounded

TO THE EDITOR:

This is a response to a letter written by Zachary Overdorf.

I do not mean to defend Ishmael Bishop’s contested column; his words are strong enough to speak for themselves. What I do mean to do is point out the faulty logic on which Overdorf’s stated his disapproval of that column.

One issue stated is that there is no relevance to Bishop’s words. This is completely misguided. The fact that responses from the column ranged from support to those more similar to Overdorf’s type of ignorance shows that it is a relevant issue that the campus should have the right to hear about. This is completely ignoring clearly evident stories of racial tension that have plagued news outlets to this very day.

Saying that the column “lacked all forms of support” is totally unfounded. No one person can speak for all readers of a newspaper; no one can claim that sort of special knowledge.

Bishop’s column was claimed to be not suitable for printing due to it being his own “point of view.”

So what? The page it was printed on is the opinion page. Opinion is, by definition, one’s point of view. Just as Bishop is allowed his opinion, you are entitled to your own. Just because you do not care, an issue doesn’t become invalid.

Media are a marketplace of ideas. If you cannot handle a difference in opinion, put down the paper; it isn’t written for you.

Brandon Morrissey

Sophomore

Political science

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