Rightists crave any kind of publicity
Re Leitch gets it wrong every time, Dec. 5 Heather Mallick, one of my very favourite journalists, writes that Kellie Leitch gets it wrong every time she opens her mouth.
But it is Heather who gets it wrong. She is proving to be a slow learner when it comes to thrashing these extreme right conservatives, who rely on outraged journalists like her to promote their names. Look at the disastrous election of Trump? Every time the newspapers cover extreme right politicians they are promoting their agendas for the public to consider.
I never knew anything about Leitch until the newspapers began to write about her extreme views of democracy. She must love every attack, every article, every photo. From a nobody to a contender thanks to the media.
How to attack her policies and not mention her name 12 times, as Heather did in one article, is the challenge. There has to be a way to discuss the philosophies of the right, and not respond to their bait that pushes the buttons of journalists like Heather.
One Trump is one too many. The media’s challenge is to find ways (without sensational reporting) to alert the public to the dangers to our democracy or the fascists might rule once again. David Gladstone, Toronto
The Star has become fixated with Kellie Leitch, particularly the last eight days when four articles were published with pictures of her. I have asked many people and no one is able to name one person other than Ms Leitch of the 10 running for the Conservative leadership. You have chosen not to cover them (even though they might also have controversial views). The Star is playing such a huge role in building her profile with such extensive coverage. Grossly unfair to the other candidates and an abuse of the power of the press. This is exactly what happened in the U.S. with Trump, especially in the primaries.
Quite simply, stop such undeserved coverage or at least start giving other candidates equal time. You are not just “reporting the news.” You are shaping it! John Vale, Toronto