The dearth of credible newspapers and media outlets has put American democracy on life support. Conspiracy theories proliferate on the internet. It takes diligent work to pursue the truth.

Sources like Fox News, Breitbart and Newsmax spew animosity daily. The more air time they have (please don’t give me a freedom of speech lecture, I’m talking about human decency), the more people become inured to, what in years past, was egregious behavior. Election fraud has been debunked, yet some candidates won’t state their willingness to accept an election outcome.

The attack on Paul Pelosi, an elderly man, was abhorrent. Where is the outrage? Take away his name. He could be your father, uncle, brother. Why is this heinous attack fodder for right wing nuts and conspiracy theorists?

Portland Press Herald, why is this attack, which endangers the bedrock of democracy, on Page A2 (Oct. 29; Oct. 31)? Where are the interviews with our congressional and Senate leaders? Are they shocked and remain silent, or have you chosen not to print their comments?

You ran a political cartoon of Elon Musk with unsavory characters he may allow back on Twitter (Nov. 1, Page A4). This is no joke. With Twitter under his thumb, he is a dangerous man. What happened to our antitrust laws?

Democracy rests on the shoulders of a free and truthful press seeking to educate our citizens. To our detriment we have moved far away from this. Take a stronger stand, Portland Press Herald.

Elizabeth Manduca
Portland