Hold him to simple standard

Let us acknowledge there are people of good faith on all sides of most every issue, and the expression of opinions of all varieties on all subjects, whether grounded in fact or not, should be freely permitted in the public square.

The misfortunes of Brian Williams are his own doing. He has been rightly criticized and, indeed, publicly humiliated for inflating his role in some relatively inconsequential events on which he reported. We expect honesty and good faith from those who report the news.

What then, are we to make of Spokane City Councilman Mike Fagan’s recent pronouncements on the danger of vaccines? On how immigrants, our fellow human beings, are to blame for outbreaks of communicable disease? There is not a shred of science to support either statement. Fagan is either too dim to appreciate that, too lazy to care, or knows the statements are false and spreads misinformation anyway.

Let’s hold our politicians to at least the standards we expect of Brian Williams. Voters in Fagan’s district have the right to choose their representative. This does not mean the entire city must allow the man to represent us on the Spokane Regional Health District board. We also have rights.

Steve Faust

Spokane