Does Article Paint an Unfair Portrait of City?

Your article “Death in a Safe Place” (Dec. 20) implies that the murder of two lesbians in a small town, Medford, Ore., was directly related to “a growing intolerance toward homosexuality.” If you want to do an article about these murders or on gay life in small towns, please do. However, do not use these murders as the basis for an attack on Medford.

The arrested suspect for these murders was not part of the Medford community. He and his mother had just moved to the area three weeks prior to the murders. He had previously worked in Los Angeles. The suspect is also accused of another murder of a male friend in Visalia, Calif., in October. The fact that these murders occurred in Medford has more to do with the murderer than the community.

Unfortunately, most readers do not get to the 33rd paragraph of any newspaper article. That is where your editors chose to reveal the known facts about this suspect. As a result, you have been most successful in painting Medford as a redneck, backward community with homophobic fears--not the wonderful culturally embracing place that it really is.

GREG DOYLE

Burbank

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The Dec. 20 paper brought news of the deaths of two wonderful women, Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill. I was saddened to read of the crime perpetuated against them, and to also read that the authorities are handling this as a homicide related to a robbery attempt.

Get a clue, people. This crime, like so many others, was perpetuated against two women because they loved each other. These two women were productive citizens, active in organizations for the betterment of their community and had families and friends who loved them. They had a right to love someone, to be loved by someone, and to express their love and commitment to each other openly and without fear.

Until society recognizes hate for what it is, these crimes will continue to be committed. Hate is hate, in any form or fashion, no matter how hard some people try to justify it. I pray for the day when all people can love their significant others publicly and without fear.

DEBORAH FORDHAM

Valencia