To the editor:

In response to the Feb. 27, 2019 letter 鈥淭rump Has Misjudged Mexico鈥� I offer the following thoughts:

For years, I have read letters like this printed in local newspapers throughout the Okanagan Valley. Addressing this letter specifically, a good experience in Mexico has changed the way the author views the Mexican people and U.S President Trump has misjudged them. Yet expressing this opinion is not enough when Trump, according to what I read, is now an鈥漣diot鈥� and 鈥済iant idiot who needs to go away soon.鈥� Letter writer Nol Preen has abandoned communicating his new found positive opinion of the fine Mexican people and embraced the trending 鈥淎merica bash.鈥�

When my American visitors showed me this letter we could only guess as to why the writer would witness rude/non-tipping behaviour in a Mexican bar then fabricate the opportunity for attack and criticism in claiming 鈥淭hey were probably ignorant Americans,鈥� a statement right out of the blue, early in the letter, setting the tone for the eventual presidential insults. Misjudging and ironic.

Children and young adults read the newspaper and might be looking for an explanation of why choosing to print the words 鈥渋gnorant Americans鈥� differs from 鈥渋gnorant gays鈥� or 鈥渋gnorant Muslims.鈥� I am aware of the different usage and definitions of the word 鈥渋gnorant鈥� and agree that our laws on discrimination and hate speech include race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and nationality.

These types of letters chosen for print have become more common. Opinions and disagreements sign off with insults or mudslinging. I don鈥檛 know why they are given space in widely distributed newspapers. Maybe Tourism 91大黄鸭 should weigh in on this.

Michael Lipinski

Peachland