Media Double Standards

YOUR report, condemning local editor Hans Feddersen and the hate speech advertisement, is timely and correct and is welcomed by most of us.

The Afrikaans daily, likewise, did not spare Feddersen. However, the Executive Editor avails himself of derogatory remarks when he takes swipes at his political adversaries in his column ‘Kerneels’.Words such as “gesplete verhemelte, haaslip, skeeloog” (cleft palate, hare lip and squint-eye) describe harsh facial deformities with which thousands of people have to cope all their lives.It should not be used as a political insult to get at political opponents.This is hard to understand when the same newspaper underscore aid projects for the physically disabled.For transparency’s sake, I call upon the Editors Forum, as well as MISA, to also publicly state their view on this issue.Poor Taste SwakopmundHowever, the Executive Editor avails himself of derogatory remarks when he takes swipes at his political adversaries in his column ‘Kerneels’.Words such as “gesplete verhemelte, haaslip, skeeloog” (cleft palate, hare lip and squint-eye) describe harsh facial deformities with which thousands of people have to cope all their lives.It should not be used as a political insult to get at political opponents.This is hard to understand when the same newspaper underscore aid projects for the physically disabled.For transparency’s sake, I call upon the Editors Forum, as well as MISA, to also publicly state their view on this issue.Poor Taste Swakopmund

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