Editor,
In Saving the Giannini House, Part II you published Supervisor Corzo’s comments in support of a “no endorsement” in the San Mateo City Council District 2 race after Mr. Simon and Mrs. Lempert accused her of an “unbelievably harsh” attack against candidate Nicole Fernandez.
This is not the first time these columnists have published information without validating the content and context. As columnists, they are not held to strict journalistic standards and can report hearsay. However, they should understand that by taking this approach, they run the risk of painting a biased and inaccurate picture.
Prior to Supervisor Corzo, an alternate of the Central Committee — a white man — spoke in support of Ms. Fernandez, implying her opponent did not have deep relationships within the community. He previously made sharply critical comments about then candidate Corzo at the 2022 endorsement meeting, calling her a “neophyte.”
At the March 2024 meeting, an elected member of the Central Committee — also a white man — accused Foster City Councilmember Sam Hindi of lying about his family’s life story in Palestine. There are many more examples of barbs exchanged that Mr. Simon and Mrs. Lempert have not reported on.
As columnists who cover local politics, we encourage Mr. Simon and Mrs. Lempert to attend Central Committee meetings if they plan to comment on what was discussed. Otherwise they risk being used, perhaps unwittingly, to further someone’s political agenda, and in the process perpetuate harmful stereotypes about who engages in aggressive behavior and attacks.
Chelsea Bonini
San Mateo
Jim Lawrence
Foster City
Alexis Lewis
San Mateo
Maryann Moise
Portola Valley
Seema Patel
San Mateo
Trena Patton
Belmont
Elsa Schafer
Menlo Park
April Vargas
Montara
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(5) comments
Thanks for your letter. Unfortunately for us, Mr. Simon and other columnists knowingly (how can they not know) publish information without validating content and context. You say columnists are not held to strict journalistic standards and can report hearsay and many take advantage of it. They do run the risk of painting a biased and inaccurate picture and it’s likely they do it on purpose. That’s why LTE’s like yours are important, to not only push back against biased opinions but to impart the “other side of the coin” which is preferably honest and has been validated for content and context, which folks such as Mr. Simon and others are sometimes unwilling to do. As is true for everything these days, folks should do their homework.
LTE says "two white men" and "also a white man." What has race got to do with this?
All those who signed should be made to answer. Asking them would be outstanding journalism. Go for it Mark and Sue.
Willallen, The fact that you have to ask confirms that you are a white male, who has not reflected much on history or political and legal structures.
never assume.
I thought this was statement was satirical "As columnists, they are not held to strict journalistic standards and can report hearsay." Today's journalists along with Google, FB, and major News Papers have ZERO journalist standards. They all lie, censor the truth and opinions or facts that don't align with their marxist views and or simply ignore relevant stories. And when caught red handed they say it was a glitch or human error... funny how ALL glitches and human errors only affect conservatives.
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