Aaron McWilliams

Hillsboro

The recent appearance of letters to the editor in newspapers across the state attacking Rob Port’s SayAnything Blog coverage of Senator Heitkamp says a lot about where liberals stand right now.

They’re just so incredibly incensed by the fact that there’s a prominent writer in this state who isn’t owned and operated by the media establishment. If Port dares to provide coverage of the Heitkamp campaign’s glaring hypocrisy, a senator trying to have it both ways with tax cuts and downplay a “high hand grab thing” on abortion, liberals call it an unhealthy “obsession,” and “unfair scrutiny.” It’s incredibly clear they just don’t want people to hear the other side of an issue.

Media balance is an incredibly important pursuit. That doesn’t mean that every commentator, media personality or radio host has an obligation to be balanced or that you have to agree with them 100% of the time. What it does mean is that the people of a state are well-served by outlets that have the good sense to provide a platform to both sides of political thought in this country. It’s good and healthy to have vigorous political debate, it’s what makes America great. The Forum does a good job for the people of ND by including Rob Port’s coverage and commentary in their publication. His sole inclusion balances out the far-left commentators of McFeely, Jane Ahlin, Joel Heitkamp, and Jack Zaleski. He’s truly one against many.

Let us endeavor to learn every side of an issue and the motivations behind an action instead of jumping into personal and emotional attacks that simply detract from the issues that concern us all. Congressman Kevin Cramer has my support because he does just that.