Katie Couric keeps finding new ways to lower her ratings (“Couric’s Curious ‘Patriotism,’ ” Oct. 3).

Jonah Goldberg underlines her complete lack of understanding of why journalists wear the American flag on their lapels: It’s OK if she doesn’t want to, but it’s not OK for her to denigrate those who do.

Wake up, Katie. We are America.

John W. Fox

Galloway, N.J.

Goldberg recalls that civilian correspondent Walter Cronkite gladly wore a uniform, not just a pin, to express his patriotism during World War II.

Actually, Cronkite had no choice, because the United States was in a declared war and the uniform was the standard dress code for all war correspondents.

Today, Cronkite would never wear a flag pin, as he believes that “it is not a journalist’s job to be patriotic.”

I am quite sure his opinion is shared by many in today’s media, Couric included.

It seems that journalism has deteriorated since the days of Ernie Pyle, and we should be ever mindful of the consequences that arise when a country can no longer rely on its journalists to be “patriotic” during times of war.

Ed Moffitt

Hackettstown, N.J.