D Dawson

I believe the Whakatane Beacon is being selective concerning freedom of speech and reporting on news.

I believe the Beacon has a controlling monopoly on the letters to the editor.

I know the editor has the power to not publish letters of a personal or hateful nature.

This should not apply to any letter the editor may not like or agree with, in my opinion, if it is not of a personal or hateful nature.

This is not freedom of speech – this is being selective.

If a person writes a letter that I do not agree with, I should be allowed to give some balance in my opinion without being told:

1) Just letting you know that I have removed the list of media lefties from your letter to fit into the remaining space on the letters page for tomorrow – it’s a smaller than usual space unfortunately’ – and letter was rewritten, I was told:

2) “I am not printing your letter because I do not like it.”

If a person writes a letter naming who he thinks are right-wing media, I should be allowed to name who I think are left-wing media.

Unfortunately, not. I believe it is no coincidence that the Beacon did not report on the two large Groundswell Protests in Whakatāne or the dead horse on the roundabout entrance to town that morning.

When the Beacon was seen to be actively promoting Three Waters and the Māori Wards with vigour.

A letter I wrote to the editor when I referred to my school friend being a Māori, the word Māori was deleted from my letter.

My letter to the editor about the Waipoua Forest cover-up was rejected using six different excuses even though a previous Beacon editor published a similar letter 25 years ago.

I have had my write of reply refused many times for no good reason, saying, “This is the end of the thread” after someone had got personal and was allowed to slander me.

I believe some people are being stopped from having their opinion printed in the Beacon by the editor because she doesn’t agree with their opinion.

This is called unbridled power.

More transparency is required.