To the editor:

Re: Jezrah Hearne’s April 29 letter, "Trivializing free trade hurts cause," criticizing Geoff Olson’s column.

So, Mr. Olson’s column pulled your chain, Mr. Hearne. Good! It irritated you enough to vent your spleen on the situation and hopefully, to cause others to think seriously about the problems.

Reporters are hired to report facts on situations, accidents, meetings etc. Columnists, on the other hand, are hired to present an opinion on the event which the editor hopes will goad thinking citizens into responding as you did.

Sometimes the columnist injects his opinion on the subject; at other times he plays the devil’s advocate. Cartoonists are hired for the same reason. The Courier is fortunate in having a man who excels in both forms of journalism and we, the readers, are richer for it.

Certainly the drug wars, the trade wars and the resulting legislation are all insidious to the average citizen until she or they become victims through lack of information.

So please, continue your diatribes, Mr. Hearne, for the pen is mightier than the sword. One whack of the sword causes one head to roll; one word of truth can cause many heads to roll.