Yes, “it has to stop.” Attacks on journalist are wrong — period. However, that being said, I can fully understand why President Donald Trump calls the media the enemy of the people. For over two years, we were misled by the mainstream media to believe Trump colluded with Russia to steal the election from Hillary Clinton.

More recently, on Trump’s phone call to the Ukraine president that sparked the impeachment inquiry, if the media was sincerely interested in presenting the facts, why didn’t they publish the content of declassified phone call? Where’s the story about the rampant corruption in Ukraine, and Joe and Hunter Biden’s connections to it? Where’s the story about the origins of the Steele dossier, where’s the story about the FBI bias against Trump and its spying on the Trump campaign?

Fair-minded people recognize the erosion in journalistic standards, where Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth, where its first loyalty is to its citizens, and where its essence is a discipline of verification.

Rather than providing fair and balanced coverage of Trump and his policies, giving him credit for his many accomplishments, the mainstream media is 90% (including The Alpena News) negative on Trump.

Once the mainstream media divorces itself from the marketing arm of the Democratic Party and focuses on facts, I believe Trump will change his tune. The field is rich, and there’s any number of Pulitzer awards awaiting working journalist who will diligently pursue the truth.

STEVE DEAN,

Alpena