Letter to the editor - Billings Gazette

I sent the following letter to the editor to the Billings Gazette in Montana.

It bounced.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/09/01/build/state/25-swift-boat.inc

I read with great interest your article about two Swift boat vets who are angry about being included in the letter to John Kerry. I particularly noted this -

Both men have tried to contact the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to have their names removed from the list. Neither have had any success.

"I can't seem to get a response when I reply to their e-mail," Wedge said.

"They come back undeliverable."

I find this incredible. The Swiftvets site is easily found at http://www.swiftvets.com/. Included on the site are contact addresses, including the following:
Contact Swift veterans at Latch@SwiftVets.com

Send web site questions to Admin@SwiftVets.com

For media inquiries, use Media@SwiftVets.com

I'm not sure how Mr. Anderson and Mr. Wedge could have missed those.

Furthermore, as I'm sure you know by now from the official response that you've received, both gentlemen gave their permission, by responding to an email from Adm. Hoffman, to include their names on the letter. Either that or someone using their email addresses did it without their knowledge. The Swiftvets have copies of those emails.

In any case, I'm certain the Swiftvets would not want to misrepresent these gentlemen's desires, and their names will be removed if that's what they now want.

What really baffles me is why the Gazette didn't even bother to contact the Swiftvets for verification before publishing the article. Apparently a decision was made to tell only one part of the story.

Just another example of the media not doing their job.