Editorial: We can all sleep better

Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004 | 8:56 a.m.

After the weekly paper in President Bush's adopted hometown of Crawford, Texas, endorsed John Kerry last month, the national media pounced on the story. W. Leon Smith, publisher of the Lone Star Iconoclast, was quoted as saying he expected a backlash but that he had to follow his conscience.

"We felt we had to be able to sleep at night," he said.

Smith may be sleeping well but his working hours are worse than he had anticipated. Reflecting on the reaction from many of the townspeople in a follow-up editorial, Smith wrote resignedly about readers canceling their subscriptions and businesses pulling ads. But what he could not resign himself to were the personal attacks. "Unfortunately, for the Iconoclast and its publishers there have been threats -- big ones including physical harm," Smith wrote.

He wrote of a more tolerant time. "In the past, when individuals disagreed with an editorial, they would write a letter to the editor politely expressing a different point of view ..." And he wrote of what his paper is experiencing today. "... the focus is now upon how to run the newspaper out of business."

We believe there are millions of people who feel as we do, that this nation is well served by the W. Leon Smiths among us. Contrasting opinions about the news of the day, clearly labeled as opinion and published for all to read and discuss, help produce public policy worthy of a free nation. When this founding concept is attacked, we believe there is only one thing to do: Support the person under siege.

A subscription to the Iconoclast is $45 a year, or $22.50 for six months. It can be ordered by writing: The Lone Star Iconoclast, P.O. Box 420, Crawford, Texas 76638. Be sure to include your name and full mailing address.