To the editor:

My letter “Review pandered in election coverage”  sharply criticized Review Editor Kelly for lack of editorial integrity during the 2013 local elections.  My focused criticism of Editor Kelly elicited a scurrilous personal-attack letter “Newspaper went too easy on Tripp” by Island interloper Houston Wade. I have neither met nor spoken to Wade and pray that stays in effect. Wade’s ad hominem letter, using every canard and invective slur the hater loves, in fact brilliantly made my central  point: Review Editor Kelly lacks editorial balance, judgement and sense of community standards.

I questioned both Sound Publishing President Fletcher (gfletcher@soundpublishing.com) and Review Publisher Etchey (detchey@northkitsapherald.com) if Editor Kelly ever read the Sound Publishing guidelines on letters/comments. It is high time Kelly reads —- and adheres to —- his paper’s guidelines on letters/comments.

I  proudly stand by my honorable positions on limited government, religious freedom, fiscal/government accountability, historical accuracy, and defense of those bullied for their free speech. No amount of Houston’s invective will silence me.

Sadly Editor Kelly chose to publish Wade’s angry rant on the holy day of Thanksgiving. The Review has been understandably hemorrhaging subscribers for years and failure to find editorial balance and sobriety will accelerate this downward trend.  I encourage you to remind

Sound Publishing’s management exactly what our community standards are.  Truth be told, Mr. Wade inhabits the hinterlands of a wasteland with his extreme hatred.

JAMES M. OLSEN

Bainbridge Island