NOW HERE'S SOME GREAT WRITING, OBVIOUSLY DONE BY A GREAT MIND!

UPPER KEYS NEWSPAPER, LETTER TO EDITOR
READ ON!


"Children, play nice," harangues the hapless playground attendant. "Speed
limit: 55 mph," proclaims the bullet-riddled highway sign. "Sinners,
repent," admonishes the ostentatious clergyman. "More government is
better," proselytizes the libidinous liberal. "Less government is better,"
affirms the affable conservative. "Peace, love and flower power," exhales
the herb-smoking hippy.

"Don't be mean-spirited; write nice," pens the pious editor.

Year after year of haranguing, proclaiming, admonishing, proselytizing,
affirming, exhaling, and penning, has changed nothing. People still act like
people. One can't produce a silk purse from a sow's ear.

After reading your editorial, I find myself wondering who gave a mere child
the wisdom and experience to be the arbiter of mean-spirited, sarcastic,
abusive, and negative? Young editors haven't spent enough time in the world
to have perspective on those words in this old man's humble opinion.

While I applaud your policy of not censoring opinion letters, I find myself
appalled by your logic. You state, concerning writers of "mean-spirited"
letters, that you agree with some of your best friends who label them
jealous of the wealthy and having nothing productive to contribute. You
actually befriend people who say mean-spirited things while decrying those
who write the same? Duh! And, how's calling the USA an "embarrassment"
anything but mean-spirited and a clear case of pot calling kettle black? So,
welcome to the club, dear.

The trend in newspapers to censor the opinions of writers whose views don't
support an editor's agenda is treating readers like children. It turns a
newspaper into a propaganda flyer. It's inane and unprofessional. It drives
readers away. An editor's primary concern should be to ensure the news and
editorial content is timely, accurate and grammatically correct. Nice won't
sell as many papers as facts, controversy and uncensored feedback from
readers (excluding libel and profanity, of course).

That you can say opinion letters "abuse" the First Amendment demonstrates a
serious misunderstanding on your behalf. Have you not read the First
Amendment? It says, "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press."

Young lady, may I remind you a newspaper is not "Congress" and the First
Amendment has little to do with opinion letters in newspapers, nor does it
govern an editor's excluding, slanting or censoring material. One has a
right to speak but no right to be heard. Only morality allows the hearing of
speech - all speech, even so-called hate speech.

Immorality disallows the hearing of speech. You appear to know this
intrinsically. Please realize it, for it's a rare gift in one so young.

So, good on you for standing on high moral ground. You've allowed those of
us who don't fear reality to see it reflected in your paper. Your morals
place you head and shoulders above at least one other local editor, and
counteract some illogic and naivety born of tender years. Keep up the good
work and keep hearing. We need you.

Neal Warren
Tavernier