Letter: Cartoons don’t reflect a diversity of opinions

I start my day every morning reading the Vail Daily online while sipping coffee. In his October 2, 2024 editorial, Nate Peterson, the editor, writes: “So why run local and national columns on our commentary pages that delve into national issues? Why run political cartoons? My response has always been the same: We’re a nonpartisan news organization that embraces a diversity of opinions, and having locals offering takes on the issues of the day is good for civic engagement. It’s been a hallmark of the Vail Daily. But here’s the rub: Readers increasingly don’t see it that way. Either they’re mostly tuning out those opinions — because there’s already a glut of them out there on the internet —  or they’re singling out something they don’t agree with to write off our entire local news operation.”

Further on in the editorial, Peterson writes: “We’re shifting our opinion section by focusing more on local issues and perspectives and moving away from the national political discourse that seems to dominate so many conversations. This isn’t a retreat from our toxic national politics but rather a renewed focus on the mission statement that has been printed beneath our flag for decades: Bringing Communities Together.”

Yet of the 20 political cartoons published in the Vail Daily since Joe Biden left office, by my count, only one seems to reflect badly on Biden, his administration or his policies, five seem to be neutral and 14 seem to reflect badly on the current democratically elected president, his administration or his policies. This hardly seems to me to be “embracing a diversity of opinions,” nor does it seem to help in achieving the Vail Daily’s mission of “Bringing Communities Together.”

I do not disagree with the decision to shift the opinion section by focusing more on local issues and perspectives and moving away from the national political discourse that seems to dominate so many conversations. I ask that the Vail Daily please follow through with this and eliminate political cartoons that do not focus on local issues and perspectives or, if it feels the need to continue publishing nationally focused political cartoons, then as a “nonpartisan news organization” publish a balanced mix that embraces the diversity of opinions that exist among readers of the Vail Daily. 

James G. “Jimmy” Arbour
Avon