Dear Editor:
Re: author error and content exaggeration
You are to be commended for your Letters to the Editor section, which is very fair to diverse views on critical issues to our communities.
On October 2, 1996, Richard Vargas, The Rock River Times poetry editor, felt compelled to publish another hate letter from the liberal anti-Christian national Writers Union co-chair on political issues, Bob Chatelle. Bob Chatelle is famous for writing half-truths and open distortions about Christians and people of faith.
Mr. Vargas is an Hispanic and had formerly angrily denounced Judy J. Howard, director of our Citizens for Excellence in Education (CEE) chapter in Rockford. Judy and a host of very upset parents questioned the availability of a dirty and sexually explicit library book called Always Running by Linda [sic] Rodriguez (an Hispanic author).
Mr. Vargas apparently believes parents have no right to protect their children from immoral sex descriptions and directions to students on "How to Use Various Drugs." Parents disagree.
Not only did Mr. Vargas submit Mr. Chatelle's letter to "Letters to the Editor," but he accidentally (?) signed my name to it--including address and telephone number. Naturally, I immediately heard about it. An error? Very possible. However, we at CEE have had this happen 10 different times before (this making 11), where anti-school irrational rhetoric in a letter was submitted under my name.
The sole purpose of this kind of deceit is to discredit Christian leaders. Maybe not, with Mr. Vargas--but who knows?
Mr. Chatelle quoted the usual Christian hate groups such as People for the (un)American Way, the liberal anti-Christian American Library Association (ALA) and the anti-Christian First Amendment Studies (Freedom Writer Magazine) groups.
Mr. Vargas does journalism no favor by throwing in with such extremists who have no credibility at all among the well informed. If Mr. Vargas supports the aforementioned book, that promotes youthful sex, drug use and unfair criticism of our great teachers in Rockford's schools, he has thrown in with the wrong crowd. If he supports the book because the author is Hispanic, then he is a racist. It's hard to decide which is worse. He may be a nice fellow, just poorly informed or wrongly informed. We hope he will apologize to the Christian parents for his big hit on them. Again, thanks for your open opinion column.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at P.O. Box 3200, Costa Mesa, CA 92628--or call (714)251-9333.
Dr. Robert L. Simonds, president
Citizens for Excellence in Education (CEE)
Editor's Note: The author of the book is Luis Rodriguez, not Linda. There was no misrepresentation intended in the original letter as it appeared, but the name and address listed ahead of the letter, addressed to Dr. Simonds, may have been confusing to some readers. The signature, Bob Chatelle, appeared at the end.