High Anxiety

Open Note to Walter Sullivan

Since I've been banned from corresponding with the Local in any form, I'm replying here, on home turf, to your current opinion piece in that paper.

We haven't yet reached the point in the U.S. where strongly-held opinions need to be phrased like legal torts to prevent their being described as raising the question of "malice".

In the instance you cite, I was characterizing a much rougher description, reported and alleged to me, which I took care not to repeat literally, precisely because I wanted to avoid malice, and slander.

When we reach that point where journalists all have to write like lawyers, I expect you'll call a special session of the Exec Committee, & break out the whiskey and firecrackers.

Until then, I'm sticking with the First Amendment.

John Lombardi