Taking the money

In response to the Bangor Daily News’ Friday, Aug. 25, editorial with the headline “Sex for money,” please let me respond.

I find it ironic the the Bangor Daily News has come out so strongly against these “relaxatyion spas” while still accepting the advertising dollars for these “spas.” In looking through the personal ads in Friday’s paper, I count four advertisements, with two having a Bangor telephone number, one having an Ellsworth number and one having a Waterville number. If the Bangor Daily News is adamant that these “spas” should be closed, then they should it the first step and refuse to run the ads. It seems quite hypocritical to me, and to others that I have spoken with, that the Bangor Daily News talks a very tough game while quietly winking and putting money into the corporate coffers.

The Bangor Daily News has brought this issue to the public’s attention, and to date I have received four telephone calls, three for closing the “spas” and one calling for the continuation. Your reporter mentioned that there would be a hearing in front of the Municipal Operations Committee about these “spas” in the Aug. 19 edition of the newspaper, and no one came in opposition.

Councilor Tim Woodcock claims ignorance in not knowing that the hearing was scheduled for the Municipal Operations Committee on Aug. 22. Yet the information was provided at all the city councilors and staff on Friday, Aug. 18. If Councilor Woodcock was unable to attend the committee meeting, he should have asked for the discussion to be tabled. Ignorance is not an excuse, and should not be accepted.

The public deserved to be heard, about this issue and others at all times. That’s why our phone numbers are in the telephone book and are listed at City Hall. If the public wants to be heard, they will be, but the Bangor Daily News does a disservice to the public, in my opinion, by defending hypocrisy and ignorance.

Christopher Popper

City councilor

Bangor