The Death Of A Free Press Icon-By Harsha Sankar

Dear Citizen,                                                                                                February 9th, 2015

          On January 10th,Horton Beirne, Publisher of the Virginian Review, passed away. I thought I would express a few words to serve as tribute to a man that I dealt with since the late 80's.
         
          Horton Beirne should be remembered for much more than his journalistic endeavors. While his journalistic ethic should be lauded, a person's work and career should not be the most important thing in one's life.
         
          Yet I will make the following statements. Horton Beirne and I may have had differences and disagreements. However, I always respected his decisions. For example, if he declined to publish one of my letters, I accepted it because I valued his journalistic integrity and neutrality.
          
          He always kept an open mind and he never sought to unduly censor me, unlike the Roanoke Times who for six years categorically refused to publish any letter that commented about the legal system despite the fact that that corporate media outlet continuously propagates the legal profession. As an independent news provider, The Virginian Review freely allowed dissenting viewpoints in today's authoritarian environment and Horton Beirne should be praised for that.
         
          Corporate media has taken over all the mainstream media as five companies control everything. As the days of Independent media in America are in rapid decline, Horton Beirne symbolized the iconsim of free press as the Virginian Review represents the last vanguard and dying legacy of locally-owned media.
         
          Rest In Peace, Horton Penrose Beirne.

                                           Very Truly Yours,

                                              Harsha Sankar

                                              908 Valley Ridge Road

                                              Covington, Virginia 24426