I see that I no longer have to look to the Sound Off column or the Editor’s Column for editorializing and opinion. I can skip straight to the classified advertising. Either the editor or the publisher or both have determined that their apparent anti-gun opinions will be reflected in the advertising policy.

Under the classified heading 7150 Guns/Ammo is published the following editorial censorship comment: “For the protection of our readers we will no longer accept advertising by private individuals for the sale of firearms.” For the protection of your readers perhaps you should no longer accept ads for cars; we all know 30,000 people a year are killed on the highways. Or perhaps Jet Skis should be banned; I think they are noisy, obnoxious detriments to the safety and well being of safe boaters. How about those beer ads in the supplements, drunk drivers, drunken thieves, drunken rapists — aren’t they a threat to your readers?

Me thinks there is a political agenda here. When I buy a newspaper, I expect factual, unbiased reporting. I expect to find editorial content or opinion clearly labeled as such on the editorial page. I expect the advertising to be available to promote the sale of legal products that fit within the community standards. What I don’t expect as a reader and regular advertiser is for the publisher and or editor to determine for me what is and isn’t politically correct and disguise it in the classified section.  Members of the press are so very quick to scream about their First Amendment rights but rarely have any problem with limiting other people’s rights. It’s not whether or not you are pro-gun or anti-gun, it’s about abuse of power and responsibility to your readers. This is a dangerous precedent. What’s it going to be WNT, advertising or editorial copy, it can’t be both.

Mike Lauver

Coupeville