Editor, the News-Herald:

After reading some of Robert Pocklington’s op-ed columns, I often wonder why he wastes his talent for spewing ultra- right-wing media hype in the Suffolk News-Herald when he would be much better suited for his own prime-time show on Fox News.

We could put him on right before Hannity and Colmes and he could fire up the blood of the Compassionate Conservatives.

But the column Mr. Pocklington gave us this last Saturday just warmed my heart and soul.

Not only was it well written, but it was also completely devoid of fact and littered with ignorance.

But hey, that’s all right, as long as you make a couple of biting remarks to liberals and organizations that don’t agree with your particular viewpoint.

Who needs facts and figures when you can spread misinformation and ignorance?

One statement in particular caught my attention.

&uot;There are some things we haven’t seen during the disaster, like the ACLU setting up a feeding line or People for the American Way helping in the shelters or the NAACP doing any work whatsoever.&uot;

In response to the Hurricane the NAACP created the NAACP Disaster Relief Fund to aid those displaced.

It has been one of the most responsive organizations in providing much needed aid to the people affected by this disaster.

From working with the United Negro College Fund on finding schools for displaced students attending historically black colleges and universities, to coordinating medical aid, to organizing it’s 2,200 branches and chapters in collecting money, supplies, and providing relief workers to the region the NAACP has been on the front-lines of this disaster.

The mission of the ACLU and People for the American Way is not to help coordinate disaster relief but to make sure that the rights of people affected by such tragedies are maintained.

Those organizations as a whole are better suited to making sure that the victims of this tragedy receive fair and equitable treatment.

The individual members who support the ACLU and People for the American Way are on the ground in the affected areas helping out just like everyone else.

But I guess if they aren’t there helping under the umbrella of some religious organization then the aid that they render is just worthless.

There are many secular clubs and organizations joining together to help those affected by this tragedy.

Just because they are not covered in the TV news, or the morning paper doesn’t mean that they are not out there.

Mr. Pocklington wrote in an article a couple days ago that we shouldn’t believe all the media hype that says that aid to the region was delayed, poorly organized, and in-effective.

And yet if he had taken five minutes just as I did to research this issue, he would have seen that these organizations are in-fact doing their part to help people in this region.

I guess Mr. Pocklington only believes what he’s allowed to see on Fox News.

Either that or he just believes all the right-wing conservative hype that is unjustly tossed at these organizations.

People everywhere are doing there part, just because they aren’t on your team doesn’t mean that what they contribute isn’t effective or as good as what you are providing.

Casey Simpkins

Suffolk