It appears that a few pro-annexation folks in Pinewild are trying to convince the public that they represent "a silent majority." (See recent letters from John Rowerdink, Beverly Shebs and Anne Wright.) Rather, they represent a noisy minority. They seem to believe that if they shout their opinions and distortions loud enough that a gullible public will believe them.

Even worse than their exaggerations, The Pilot is abetting this campaign by selecting headlines to promote what it knows to be false. The assertion "Quiet Majority Favor Pinewild Annexation" atop Anne B. Wright's opinion (The Pilot, March 15) is an obvious lie.

How do we know? Consider the fact that every poll and vote on annexation in Pinewild in the last four years has overwhelmingly opposed annexation.

First was a poll of Pinewild property owners in 2005; over three to one were against annexation. Second was a vote on whether the residents would prefer annexation sooner or later, if it were to happen. The results were overwhelmingly for delay. Third, over half of the Pinewild community have put their money where their mouths are, to fight annexation.

Finally, at a recent vote for members of the Pinewild Property Owners Association board, where members serve in the best interests of their community, without regard to politics, Rowerdink and a few of his friends chose to politicize the vote by running as a slate of pro-annexation candidates. That slate lost.

The examples above are public knowledge that should be well known to anyone in the local news business. The Pilot is doing a great disservice to its readers by its untrue and unethical journalism. The Pilot should admit the truth that most Pinewild residents are against annexation.

David Jenkins

Pinehurst

Editor's note: Headlines on letters reflect the writers' opinions, not those of The Pilot. The headline "Quiet Majority Favor Pinewild Annexation" thus sums up the thrust of Wright's letter -- as did the headline three days later, which read, "No Good Reasons Exist For Annexing Pinewild."