Readers respond

To the Editor:

We wish to comment about Kamel El-Darwish's attack on the editorial mission of The Scientist. We disagree with the complainant on several grounds. One is that The Scientist is an international news magazine aiming to present the human face behind science. Arguably, this usually entails profiling the positive accomplishments of prominent scientists, but unsavory activities should also be considered fair game.

Second, the use of catchy adjectives, such as "tabloid-style" and "sensationalist" seem misplaced to us because the article's tone isn't that of tabloid publication; the report, in fact, balances the communication of the arrest with a discussion of W. French Anderson's accomplishments and recent research interests. And while the author of the letter boasts an appreciation of the judicial system, there is the failure to acknowledge the freedom of speech guaranteed under the first amendment to the US Constitution. The simple reporting of the arrest doesn't ...