Most of the time when I check my e-mail, I’m excited to see “Letter to Editor” in the subject line. I’m intrigued when I get an envelope addressed “Editor.” I never know what to expect.
Sometimes the submissions are uninteresting mass mailings, obviously generated by some organization or political group. Those get a quick perusal and are then deleted or tossed. We generally have enough letters from locals or folks with ties to the North Shore that we don’t need these boilerplate commentaries.
More often, though, the letters are from someone I know, at least by name. That is what makes it so interesting. “Oh really?” I often think as I read. I’m frequently surprised by opinions expressed.
Sometimes I silently cheer for the letter-writer. It’s easy to see something I agree with go to print. But sometimes I groan and think, “Do I really have to run this?”
The answer is yes. Whether or not I agree with a letter to the editor, I publish it. There are a few restrictions in our letter to the editor guidelines, but it is not very often that we refuse a letter. We are a community newspaper and we want everyone in the community to have the opportunity to have their say—even if it annoys us.
And truthfully, when a letter runs that I disagree with, I hope that others disagree too and that we will get a letter or two in reply. I like watching the dialog. And, over the years, I’ve learned a bit. It’s good to have your opinions challenged now and then.
So I like a robust letter to the editor section. However, in recent weeks it has been more than robust, it has been overrun. This happen nearly every election season. Enthusiastic voters of different persuasions attempt to sway their friends and neighbors.
That along with concerns over the community center project, the biomass studies and the usual topics, has brought more letters than our little paper can handle. We normally get two to four letters from readers each week. For the last three weeks we’ve received about eight. This week our editorial page includes six letters. There are seven that had to wait.
We will do our very best to eventually get all the letters in. In fact, that is one reason why Unorganized Territory is a bit short this week. To squeeze in the six letters, the space for my column is smaller than normal. But that is okay. I will happily defer to our letter-to-the-editor submitters. It’s wonderful to listen to the dialog. It’s democracy in action!
The oppression of any people for opinion’s sake has rarely had any other effect than to fix those opinions deeper, and render them more important.
Hosea Ballou
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