Ten months ago I notified you about this Lone Star Eagle campaign --of "bearing false witness" about the Caddo Lake Institute and its colleagues -- and that it would be the subject of further communications. This "false witness" reference was a perhaps too subtle reminder of your publication's oft-stated public claim that it is based on Christian principles. I was specifically referring to the Ninth Commandment's injunction: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."

That letter also reminded each of you of your special responsibilities --for truthfulness and duties to correct erroneous publications-- because "community newspapers, especially in small communities, assume a special responsibility of being the ‘witnesses of record’ to the life of their communities and the reputations of those they report about. Their holding themselves out as bona fide, professional news organizations gives them a special credibility, because the public assumes that they emulate the standards of their peer news organizations." Basic journalistic rules require checking with me before making claims about me or my stewardship, and withholding publication of potentially defamatory claims. In our case, these basic rules have been consistently violated by your paper.

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