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Johnny Neihu's Mailbag

The 'Times,' it ain't changin'

Dear Johnny,

Yes, I read something objectionable about Taiwan.

The front page headline on the New York Times the day after the legislative elections was "China win in Taiwan election," directing the reader to an article further back.

I wrote the Times immediately explaining that the election hadn't been fought on unification (why do they keep using "re"unification, with its implication that Taiwan was once part of the People's Republic of China?), that the KMT hasn't promised to put the island under Beijing's control, etc.

And I named a few of the salient issues in the election, plus the influence of the new electoral system.

I also mobilized about 10 friends to write their own letters, thinking that the Times' staff would be less likely to ignore all of us.

But they did.

We each got an automated reply telling us that our letters had been received.

But no one's was published.

Professor June Teufel Dreyer

Department of Political Science

University of Miami

Johnny replies: Given that the only interest the New York Times management has in Taiwanese politics is the simian commentaries of Beijing hackocrats, you shouldn't be too surprised if the letters editor looked at your efforts and thought, "Why would anyone nitpick about such matters?" and threw all your missives in the trash can.

Then again, it is possible that all 11 letters got redirected to one Phil Connors, Esq, in Punxsutawney by a Chinese operative at the post office. I hope this is true, because then we could establish that Chinese operatives really do have a sense of humor.

One way or another, your students over there in the Hanging Chad State have a splendid case study at their disposal of how respectable US media outlets angle their news to the point of distortion -- or at least non sequitur.

And anyway, what's with the New York Times' six column format? Just 'cos everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right. I bought a copy while I was in the US last year and wondered how on Earth New York's dog owners can wrap droppings in it -- it's so narrow that the contents are bound to tumble out the side!
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