Dear friends:

Please write an important letter to the executives at the Chronicle. We have to correct a horrible injustice.

The Chronicle has decided to stop running Stephanie Salter’s column. This is very shocking and upsetting. The publisher John Oppedahl says that he is discontinuing her column because "people outside of San Francisco are not interested in the many organizing persons and projects she writes about". He or the op-ed editor John Diaz said that Stephanie’s column doesn’t ‘ring his bell’ and one or the other said they don’t ‘identify’ with her column. I have confirmed with the highest authority that these comments were indeed made.

This is a very sad day for my native San Francisco. We are losing virtually the lone liberal voice at the Chronicle. I love Stephanie Salter’s columns and have read them for decades. She’s a gem and it is a cruel world.

Try to call Stephanie (leave a message for her. Tell her you love her). Also write to the paper. Tell your friends to write to the paper. Please write to (send a copy of any letters you write to Stephanie!):

John Oppedahi: Joppedahl@sfchronicle.com Phil Bronstein: Pbronstein@sfchronicle.com John Diaz: Jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Letters@sfchronicle.com

Stephanie’s e-mail address is: ssalter@sfchronicle.com

I have called Media Alliance and other media advocacy organizations. I hope we’ll picket the Chronicle one day next week. Check back for info.

Until then, please pass on the news to you friends. All the best,

-- Alicia Williams (lanisilver@aol.com), August 16, 2002

Answers

For Pete's sake! I can't believe you would consider eliminating such an insightful and compassionate writer. Stephanie Salter is an "institution" with the Chron, and what's wrong with an "institution" in these troubled times, someone to count on for intelligent writing. [Better to lose Jane G, the titles of whose columns draw you in and then disappoint with silliness time and time again.]

-- carol dahlstrom (willicd@sbcglobal.com), November 26, 2003.