Hi All! I take a dim view of the motivation of the "Letters to the Editor" editors.
Such politically incorrect and incendiary screeds are published to draw ridicule to the hapless author, who shall receive obscene phone calls and hate mail. Or, God forbid, worse. Such letters generate heated, self-righteous and scolding retorts which will be published to further twist the knife and sell papers. Letters to the Editor are one of the most read parts of the paper for a reason. Closest thing to voyeurism that the staid pillars of the 4th Estate can come. I think it irresponsible of the paper to do this. At the very least, it should contact the writer and offer the chance to reconsider having the "work" published. In the days way before the internet, way too late at night, after way too much to drink, I took pen to paper, folded, stamped and launched a properly addressed bazooka in the general direction of the Strib. I was aghast when they published it, pretty much as writ, including typos, bad punctuation and boozingly creative grammar. I don't even remember what it was about, but the phone started ringing with everything from heavy breathing to verbal assaults (yes, this was even before the invention of caller ID, the greatest invention of the century! ) As I was still "living at home" with younger siblings and 'rents on the receiving ends of these calls made for further denigration. I was nearly in tears when I called my recent St Thomas journalism prof, Dick Youngblood, to ask how his buddies in the OpEd department could be so mean as to put my rant and rave into print. His reply rings in my ears to this day, so many years later: "Paul, we're all big boys now." What an SOB. Always was, still is (that's ok, he's flattered). When I got into politics, I came to appreciate his wisdom. I STILL don't think a novice crank should have a letter published without a courtesy call from the paper. These days, I often, if not usually, post crazier stuff than that of my old letter -- on the net -- even later at night and in even more agitated states of mind.... At least I know my audience and they know me -- er, mostly. I know that my words could/will come back to haunt me, but I am "in" with my eyes open and without fear. I enjoy the freedom to say my piece. The forum suits it. I don't get calls and letters, just ripostes (rip-posts?) which is swell. Would I write in the same idiom to The Editor? No way. 'Cos I know what happens to a poor fellow like Mr.Stolzman when one exercises one's 1st Amendment rights in the wrong forum. Cheers! PK NE Falcon Heights _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
