I am writing in response to the demands by Roger Burton ("Dear New Times," June 6) and others that your regular contributor Al Fonzi be barred from your pages.

The opinions of those with whom we disagree are the opinions that we most need to hear. No one is well-served by limiting themselves to an ideological "echo chamber" in which they are exposed only to the thoughts of the like-minded. You can always hire a cheerleader for that, or a skilled bartender can always accommodate the need for confirmation, at least if a generous tip is proffered.

While I am conservative, I keep up with the thoughts of those on the left and would never try to censor them, no matter how annoying I may find them. I trust myself to be able to discern what opinions are worth considering, and which opinions are, well, crazy. I don't need to be protected.

While Mr. Fonzi is undeniably conservative, I have found him to be thoughtful, reasoned and, yes, relatively moderate. His opinions won't hurt you any more than some of the ranting on the left will hurt me.

John Donegan

Pismo Beach