Dear editor, At least three years ago you invited a number of your regular opinion page contributors to a meeting to introduce us personally to key members of your staff and especially to meet the then-new publisher, Brenda Speth. I recall making a reference to the overwhelming majority of political cartoons, which were obviously slanted by demeaning our administration and our war effort. One of the cartoonists, Tom Toles of the Washington Post, had been publicly reprimanded for his ridiculing our troops by the head of our joint military chiefs of staff.

I was told that you were investigating different cartoon services and would make an effort to correct the biased cartoons from the usual sources such as the Washington Post or L.A. Times. I mentioned the Christian Science Monitor as an example of balanced reporting.

So where are we now? A number of my friends and I are still constantly revolted by the current cartoons, as well as the phony twists in Associated Press articles. Note the comments from Kent Cohea (“Campaign ads in guise of news,” Sept. 23). Thanks for that, Kent, but while I heartily agree with you, perhaps you should have thrown in the cartoons, as well.

I personally object to extremism and gridlock polarization from both political parties. However, it appears to me that teaching and journalism both tend to attract individuals with more liberal viewpoints, or could it also be the environment places like a Berkeley or Madison, Wis.? I, too, think we are entitled to more effort in separating the truth from fiction. The media need not feature twisted stories or outright lies to attract viewers!

Richard Schaaf / Napa