When the founders of our nation added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution, the right of free speech was listed first, because without the free expression of ideas all our other freedoms are in jeopardy.

On July 27, the Sun Journal ran a cartoon by Paul Nowak accusing ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, MSNBC and the N.Y. Times of being “weapons of mass confusion.” Obviously missing and clearly indicating the political orientation of this cartoon, was FOX.

Through ties to FOX, Bush operatives manipulated the 2000 presidential election in Florida, discouraging many late voters by deliberately announcing “the winner” before the polls had closed. Other networks soon joined in, fearing being “scooped.” This behavior runs contrary to what free speech and democratic elections are about.

Balancing this partisan point of view was the inclusion of a “Doonesbury” strip in which FOX was portrayed as the most politically biased source of broadcast TV news. My hope is that we devoted readers of your editorial page may also look forward to seeing in addition to right-wing conservative cartoons, the progressive opinions of cartoonists such as Matt Weurker, Dan Wasserman and Tom Toles.

On future Sundays, the Sun Journal should consider running the “Leftersons” along with “Doonesbury” in the cartoon section.

Only in the expression and consideration of the most diverse points of view will our beloved nation endure in freedom and democracy.

Russell Jabaut, Durham