Letters

Regarding The Southampton Press’s recent acknowledgment that Jose Reyes was a fictitious person whose Letters to the Editor were published in error, and contrary to internal vetting protocols: I say he or she is no “whistleblower.”

The barrage of letters (which have since been scrubbed from the internet) were sent by someone who clearly had an ax to grind. They targeted specific individuals, with an intent to destroy reputations and impact elections. They seemed to stem from a longstanding personal grudge.

When the effect of such publication is so potentially damaging to real people and election outcomes, how can protocols be overlooked? The very nature of the vicious personal attacks and threatening tone invited further inquiry. See, for example, “We Are Watching,” where the anonymous writer thanks “thousands of people” for keeping his or her targeted candidate out of office.

Part of freedom of the press is the right and obligation to reject letters for publication when they may be fake, especially where they are likely to mislead the public on matters of consequence.

Willa Bernstein

Southampton