News-Record.com

Reactions to the revamped editorial pages have been largely favorable, especially the return of The New York Times columnists.

Many of you also say you're impressed by the 13 new community columnists added to the op-ed pages and the new face of our Sunday Ideas section.

But others of you are not so impressed that Molly Ivins no longer runs in the New & Record. We considered her fit in the overall mix and decided Maureen Dowd filled many of the same needs in terms of voice and political perspective.

What a few of you have had to say in your own words (the headlines are mine):

Thanks for listening
Redesign isn't important at all to me but what is important is that the NYTimes editorial writers are coming back. I guess you got a lot of heat over that decision to drop. If so, thanks for listening to your readers and restoring some degree of significance and intelligence to the paper.
Emmy Mills

No to Noe
Mr. Johnson,
Your new "community columnist" is going to fit right in with the ultra-liberal editorial stance of your pages. America is an evil, racist, place taking advantage of poor Latinos and their black sisters and brothers.

Here is a message for your Mr. Juarez: Those people who have invaded this country and are living here illegally have the same "rights" as a criminal who breaks into my home illegally, NONE. What part of ILLEGAL do Mr. Juarez's constituents not understand? The United
States is not responsible for the ills of Peru or any other
third world slum. I would suggest Mr. Juarez return to his native land and correct the injustices there and cease preaching to the American Taxpayer who is sick and tired and fed up with the host of illegal invaders in this country.

Is this the best you can do, Mr. Johnson, for "community columnists"?

Sincerely,
Charles Davenport Sr.

Yes to Noe
WOW - if Noe Juarez is any indication, the N&R editorial board has cobbled together a real set of doozies as contributors.......Juarez must have taken lessons in demagoguery from Sharpton and Jackson.

He clearly is an activist (at least in words) and he clearly identifies himself more as a Latino than an American ...notice the use of "we" when describing the street demonstrations of Apr 9 and 10...."We cannot wait around for more 'Congressional dithering'." "We" 'cannot stand for any more injustice to Hispanics'.

Where's Molly?
I searched and searched last Saturday’s edition for Molly’s usual column. It was not there!!!

I was thunder-struck! At first I thought there was some error or mix-up. Then it occurred to me that perhaps Molly had missed her deadline OR that her column was cancelled by The News Record…

Please tell me that you have not cancelled her contract, and that her columns will continue to appear each Saturday. If you have cancelled her, then I would definitely cancel my subscription to the News Record.

Hopefully, Richard Zachary

No need to fix paper
You know the expression: "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."
Well, the News-Record wasn't broken in my view and I find it much less appealing in the new format. It looks more like USA Today now and seems more generic.

And why was Molly Ivins’ column not in last Saturday's paper?

Vera Rooker

Times yes; Molly, oh no
I love the new format and I am delighted that we will have Maureen Dowd and Thomas Friedman back but PLEASE tell me you haven't cancelled Molly Ivins. I look forward to the Saturday morning because of her and Leonard Pitts.

Kathy Mazzola

Bravo for Times, but what about Molly?
I'm pleased to see you've brought the NY Times writers back for the benefit of the general public. I get the Sunday NY Times, so I have Times Select at no cost and can read Friedman et al there. It's very good for the paper however to have them back.

There is a very noticeable omission in the list of op-ed writers you'll be carrying. Molly Ivins??? Yes, she stirred things up and conservatives definitely didn't like her, but her contributions to keeping the public informed from her perspective will be missed.

Guess I'll just have to read her at the Star-Telegram.com. I'm very, very disappointed!

Bill O'Reilly (and no, I'm not related to the other one, thank God)