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A sure sign of democracy at work is an ordinary citizen’s right to participate in public debate.
In small communities all over this country, people exercise this right every day by writing a letter to the editor of their local newspaper. Thousands of ordinary citizens express their views on subjects both trivial and profound. Millions of Americans read these letters, either agree or not, reflect on their own views or not, decide to investigate more or not. Whatever the outcome, Letters to the Editor are your opportunity to share your thoughts with your community, urge action, share thanks, express displeasure or inspire others.
What seems to have been lost in today’s polarized political climate is the notion that rights carry obligations. At the top of list should be the obligation to be respectful of the right to hold an opposing point of view.
It is unfortunate that our Letters section has devolved to the state that we find today. To read these letters, one would be led to believe that all conservatives are rich white men out to return us to the days of Medieval servitude or that all liberals are lazy intellectuals bent on turning our country over to the Chinese. The absurdity of the simplistic generalizations should be obvious.
Unfortunately, some of our contributors use the pages of your paper to wage personal attacks, exaggerate facts and frankly, just be mean. The demonization of the opposition means that it’s impossible to find those things on which both sides can agree and build from there. It would do us all good to remember that Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neal were actually friends.
Joseph Pulitzer once said “A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.” I think that is also true for letters to the editor.
So beginning today, we will no longer publish letters that attack the character of another. Argue policy all you want, just leave out the personal. If you wish to respond to another letter writer, let us know to what letter you are referring and then state your own position, but again, leave out the attacks.
Those contributors who want to argue back and forth should do so over a cup of coffee at the Iron Skillet – they’re open 24 hours a day so you will have plenty of time and you may just discover that you have more in common than you thought.
We want our paper to be a reflection of our community. Surely our community can hold public debate, express our views and respect someone else’s right to hold a different opinion. Surely we can all agree that name calling never solved anything. Surely we can agree that people of all political beliefs have a place in public life.
After all, that’s the community we really are.
Viewpoints
EDITORIAL: A return to civility
- Viewpoints
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CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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NOW HEAR THIS: ‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’
This famous quote addressing communication failure is a classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman. Strother Martin, who played the role of the warden in a southern prison, would use this phrase every time he gave Luke a good whack with his baton. The concept resonated so well with moviegoers that it was voted No. 11 of the 100 all-time favorite movie quotes according to the American Film Institute.
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Letters to the Editor – May 19, 2013
Do you remember the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” sign that the personnel on the USS Abraham Lincoln displayed to greet President Bush when he went out to greet them?
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Guest opinion: Campaign with honor
All politics is local and personal! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful summer, filled with relationship building experiences and times of relaxation. As you do all the things that re-charge us for the next round at work and involvement in community and political activities, let’s reflect on the 2013 local elections for a moment.
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TISCIONE: Woe for calling evil good
You don’t often see “woe” used in an article. It’s a word that has fallen out of usage in our day. But it’s a word that ought to be understood and taken seriously.
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Letters to the Editor – May 17, 2013
As mercury pollution threatens our waterways and carbon pollution-fueled climate change worsens extreme weather, we need someone in Washington who knows how to get things done.
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Letters to the Editor – May 15, 2013
I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to the slobs, idiots and inconsiderate people who continually decorate the beautiful Texas landscape with their trash. I guess it’s really a form of art with beer bottles and cans, boxes, plastic drink containers, food packaging and just about anything else you can think of. It just doesn’t appeal to me. Thank you.
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NOW HEAR THIS: Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin
I had never really considered this possibility, but every one of the Three Little Pigs was almost certainly a guy. I know that assumption is not particularly popular from an equal opportunity standpoint, but the fact is fairly certain. How do I know? They all three had hair on their chinny chin chins.
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ESTES: Securing a bright future for Texas
Texas businesses have created more than 500,000 jobs since November 2011. Our economy is growing nearly 50 percent faster than the rest of the country and our cost of living remains low.
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TISCIONE: ‘It’s not about me’
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night.”
- More Viewpoints Headlines
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CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
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