Brass knuckles.

• Author: Mazzarella, David
• Position: Letter to the Editor

Robert Schlesinger ("Spars and Stripes," May) frets that Stars & Stripes readers may not get "unvarnished" news. Regular reading of the newspaper would take away that fear. It is published without censorship or influence--and with an effort at balance throughout, something missing in Schlesinger's article. He quotes none of the several editors who did not believe the series "Ground Truth" was "watered down," and rally he passing states that the independent ombudsman's review had strong praise for the work. In quoting from an internal memo of mine aligning balance in reporting with continued independence, he neglects to tell readers that the idea is not mine, or the Department of Defense's, but that of the U.S. Congress when, in 1991, it affirmed First Amendment protections for Stars & Stripes.

Nor does the author tell readers that "Ground Truth" was recently cited in the Scripps Howard annual journalism competition for "Service to the First Amendment" And he makes no mention of the American Legion's annual competition...