While one cannot help but agree with the responses from Peter Graves (letter published May 28) and Susan Guy (June 28), the Times is providing a public service by presenting Guffin Bay's opinions. I presume those opinions are genuine. However, by their very nature, they certainly must tend to deflect the vast majority back toward the center, toward consensus, toward comity. So they have value.

In fairness, publishing Guffin Bay's opinions may have a downside. Again owing to their nature, perhaps Guffin Bay becomes the issue rather than those opinions.

Francis K. Williams

Washington, D.C.