THE EDITOR, Sir:

YOUR EDITORIAL titled 'Politicians and the press' exceeds all previous levels of journalistic self-righteousness. You are saddened by the reports made of a threat to Cliff Hughes' life and his station. If such a threat took place, it is sad indeed.

You then proceed to finger Donald Buchanan, the Minister of Infor-mation and Development and People's National Party general secretary, as if he were the source or the inspiration for the threat. This is a remarkable leap unless, of course, The Gleaner has information it intends to give to the police on that score.

You criticise Mr. Buchanan for calling others liars and devils, which you are within your right to do, though The Gleaner often makes others out to be liars and demons. And yet in the very editorial, where you condemn Mr. Buchanan for what you see as acts of irresponsibility, you describe him as a geriatric adolescent. Not only is your statement abusive, it is discrimi-natory, for it suggests that persons nearing or at the age of retirement have nothing to contribute to the society in which they live. This is ironic: I do not know the age of Minister Donald Buchanan, but there are heads of state all over the world who are lionised by places like The Gleaner who are many years the senior of the likes of Donald Buchanan.

Firing guns and hurling Molotov cocktails and those who do so are not the only forms and the only ones that are violent in the society. Those who speak from political platforms are not the only ones guilty of intemperance in this society. What we condemn in others we must repudiate in ourselves as well.

I am, etc.,

GARNETT ROPER (Rev.)

Portmore