Willits

Alexander Cockburn’s Column Left comparing Willits to Waco (July 20) was a bit of a stretch--even for a writer with such a feverish imagination as Cockburn’s.

As the mayor of Willits, I can assure you our town doesn’t harbor a Gestapo. We have a thoroughly professional, honest police force. Cockburn’s column was tendentious agitprop. He apparently made no effort to get more than one side of the story.

He considers tossing an explosive device at a police officer a prank. He said the defendants “had gotten lost” and “randomly” picked the captain’s driveway. Sure. It’s difficult to get lost in Willits. We’re a small, friendly town. Cockburn goes on to say one of the defendants was “never much liked by the Willits cops.” What a coincidence then that he should end up in a police captain’s driveway.

Unlike Cockburn, I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. I don’t believe in coincidence theories either.

BRUCE BURTON

Mayor, Willits, Calif.