To the editor:
For nearly 10 years I have been writing letters to the editor of the Cape Coral Breeze. When I think about The Breeze it is with appreciation and gratitude that there is a real newspaper not controlled and influenced by a giant conglomerate.
Most of my letters were written in opposition to Donald Trump and I did my best to use objective evidence in support of my opinions. I consider this quote by Carl Sagan my standard when making a claim against Trump, or any claim on any topic: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
This brings me the March 19 letter written by Billy Herman, “Playbook aside.” The writer referenced the letter written by Bob Pabst, “Please close the playbook.” Mr. Pabst did not think my letter “Evidence” was based on evidence. Mr. Herman thought my letter “Evidence” was factual and he explained why. He also undermined Mr. Pabst’s argument.
The great Christopher Hitchens argued that while people deserve respect, ideas do not. If a position was unfalsifiable or dogmatically immune to evidence, he believed it didn’t merit formal debate because it violated the basic rules of rational discourse.
So, the real issue wasn’t that he avoided fundamentalists-it’s that he sometimes thought debating them was like debating astrology or young-earth creationism: rhetorically lively, but intellectually stagnant.
In closing, thank you Billy Herman for your wonderful letter to the editor.
Paul Kiefner
Saint Augustine, formerly Cape Coral