July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Paper was used for cheap shot (01/05/2009)
Editorial
Usually it happens when someone wants to see a coach fired.
We'll get a letter to the editor. It's critical, of course. But it's also signed and has a return address and maybe even a phone number for verification purposes.
But it doesn't smell right.
The name rings no bells.
And with a little checking, we learn that the name on the letter is a fake.
The opinion may be perfectly valid, but it has been submitted for publication under false pretenses.
There's nothing illegal about that, but it's a violation of our policies on letters to the editor.
For as long as we can remember, our newspapers have always required that a person's name appears with his or her opinion.
It's a way of trying to elevate the level of civic discourse, trying to keep the discussion civilized.
Anyone who has ever checked the comments on an article on an Internet site or visited an Internet forum knows that different rules apply there. Anonymity allows irresponsibility, cheap shots, half-truths, and worse.
Most Internet forums are rife with vulgarity, vituperation, and vindictiveness.
But sometimes, even the best-intentioned policies stumble.
That happened a couple of weeks ago.
A dispute among volunteers for Community and Family Services spilled into the public arena at a county commissioners meeting, with some folks urging that Jim Bruner not be appointed to the CFS board by the commissioners.
The letter to the editor came a few days later, arguing in behalf of Bruner and taking shots at the Strausburgs, the volunteers who had complained to the commissioners.
Trouble is, the name on the letter was a fake.
Despite our policies, someone got away with a cheap shot, using the newspaper as a weapon.
For that, we are both sorry and angry.
Sorry that the Strausburgs were placed in a position of not being able to argue with their critics face to face. And angry that the newspaper was manipulated.
Our preference would be for the entire dispute to go away, though that seems unlikely. Other letters have been received and will be published in the days ahead.
The food bank and the thrift shop run by CFS are two of the most worthwhile services we can think of, particularly in these challenging economic times.
And it is heart-breaking to see them divided by pettiness and back-biting.
For our part, we'll re-double our efforts to make sure that whatever the issue it will be discussed in the bright light of honest debate.
Democracy is about open discussion.
Mobocracy is about anonymous shouting in the dark.
One builds communities and is the foundation of this country. The other bears the detestable odor of mendacity.
Sorry we dropped the ball. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
We'll get a letter to the editor. It's critical, of course. But it's also signed and has a return address and maybe even a phone number for verification purposes.
But it doesn't smell right.
The name rings no bells.
And with a little checking, we learn that the name on the letter is a fake.
The opinion may be perfectly valid, but it has been submitted for publication under false pretenses.
There's nothing illegal about that, but it's a violation of our policies on letters to the editor.
For as long as we can remember, our newspapers have always required that a person's name appears with his or her opinion.
It's a way of trying to elevate the level of civic discourse, trying to keep the discussion civilized.
Anyone who has ever checked the comments on an article on an Internet site or visited an Internet forum knows that different rules apply there. Anonymity allows irresponsibility, cheap shots, half-truths, and worse.
Most Internet forums are rife with vulgarity, vituperation, and vindictiveness.
But sometimes, even the best-intentioned policies stumble.
That happened a couple of weeks ago.
A dispute among volunteers for Community and Family Services spilled into the public arena at a county commissioners meeting, with some folks urging that Jim Bruner not be appointed to the CFS board by the commissioners.
The letter to the editor came a few days later, arguing in behalf of Bruner and taking shots at the Strausburgs, the volunteers who had complained to the commissioners.
Trouble is, the name on the letter was a fake.
Despite our policies, someone got away with a cheap shot, using the newspaper as a weapon.
For that, we are both sorry and angry.
Sorry that the Strausburgs were placed in a position of not being able to argue with their critics face to face. And angry that the newspaper was manipulated.
Our preference would be for the entire dispute to go away, though that seems unlikely. Other letters have been received and will be published in the days ahead.
The food bank and the thrift shop run by CFS are two of the most worthwhile services we can think of, particularly in these challenging economic times.
And it is heart-breaking to see them divided by pettiness and back-biting.
For our part, we'll re-double our efforts to make sure that whatever the issue it will be discussed in the bright light of honest debate.
Democracy is about open discussion.
Mobocracy is about anonymous shouting in the dark.
One builds communities and is the foundation of this country. The other bears the detestable odor of mendacity.
Sorry we dropped the ball. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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