Congratulations on your editorial concerning Western
land sales (HCN, 1/23/06: For sale: The West). You succeeded in
insulting a sizeable group of hardworking people in your own
community.
I find it somewhat ironic that right next to
an article blasting the announcement of new Realtors who have
joined our local Paonia real estate firms is a self-serving article
with photos of two new interns who recently joined the staff of
your newspaper. Should we refer to their photos as “mugs” also? Or
how about the real estate classified ad in the same edition that
advertises a Paonia commercial building as the “former home of
High Country News“? Do you consider that to be a
relevant fact, or rather an attempt to trigger an emotional
response from your readers — similar to the “classic Western
charm” statement which you accuse us Realtors of using? Should we
also assume your statement of fact re: rotting foundation or
crooked floors pertains to this building also? Or does the fact
that it is owned by your former publisher somehow make this
different? How about the fact that when your current publisher sold
his own little piece of Paonia charm he demanded every penny of its
high value in an increasing market? If this isn’t the epitome
of hypocrisy, I don’t know what is!
I assure you
that many of our more reasoned and mature clients recognize the
value of our services. An experienced and dedicated Realtor often
guides buyers and sellers through one of the most important
transactions of their lives. Yes, there are instances of less than
professional performance — but this is true of many
industries.
Unfortunately, I would submit your editorial
as one example in your field.
Bob
Lario
Broker-Owner, Re/Max Mountain
West
Paonia, Colorado
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Editorial an exercise in hypocrisy.
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