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Policy matters
To the Editor:
Under the verbiage arresting policies of the previous publisher, write-ins were limited to a single 300 (of late, 400) word monthly article. Curiously, this particularly restrictive policy seems to be waived for the hired wordslingers from out of town -those professional "Right" minded syndicated columnists on whom are bestowed squatter’s rights to occupy lots of OP/ED page real estate. Where is it written that these guys are exempt from following TWI’s clearly stated policies? Perhaps catering to the predominantly conservative readership is simply a matter of sound business practice particularly if those views are also shared by the management.
TWI is a "country" sort of newspaper that should highlight predominantly local viewpoints on its "Letters" page. Where’s the unbiased, Independent balance to offset the overwhelming preponderance of Right-oriented entries occupying the OP/ED page? With few exceptions, it seems that being anti-Obama is the primary acceptance criterion for article inclusion. Opposing views are virtually nonexistent verbal MIAs. President Obama’s detractors want to see him assert more aggression toward our enemies. (Would Obama-bashers prefer that the prez simply flips an upright middle finger in the faces of hostile adversaries? Even more dramatic, why not pull all our troops out of the Middle East...and then nuke Mecca! That should definitely demonstrate an amount of aggression sufficient to satisfy even the most discriminating war monger. No doubt the prez’s Nobel Prize would be withdrawn.) Being "Independent" implies equal representation of differing opinions with at least the appearance of equanimity. If write-ins are restricted to the existing policy requirements, it remains futile to attempt rebutting the daily appearance of professional "righters" often entering articles of 1,000+ words! It’s a lot like the Honesdale Hornets taking on the NFL.
A newspaper is certainly entitled to proffer its own preferences or biases (we all have some), but in the interest of honest representation its title should reflect its core values. Categorizing oneself under the umbrella of "Independent" creates an illusion of fair-mindedness. Most WI pro wordslingers are clearly disgruntled republicans who’ve been feeding heavily on sour grapes ever since the ‘08 election. Despite the WI’s numerous qualities, being independent is certainly not one of them. Why not scrub the pretense and reflect a more representative title such as The Wayne Conservative or, in light of a full weekly Church Page (complete with bible sermon), perhaps the WI should call itself the Wayne County Epistle To The Honesdalians.
(Signed)
Joe Funke, Lake Como, Pa.
Policy matters
To the Editor:
Under the verbiage arresting policies of the previous publisher, write-ins were limited to a single 300 (of late, 400) word monthly article. Curiously, this particularly restrictive policy seems to be waived for the hired wordslingers from out of town -those professional "Right" minded syndicated columnists on whom are bestowed squatter’s rights to occupy lots of OP/ED page real estate. Where is it written that these guys are exempt from following TWI’s clearly stated policies? Perhaps catering to the predominantly conservative readership is simply a matter of sound business practice particularly if those views are also shared by the management.
TWI is a "country" sort of newspaper that should highlight predominantly local viewpoints on its "Letters" page. Where’s the unbiased, Independent balance to offset the overwhelming preponderance of Right-oriented entries occupying the OP/ED page? With few exceptions, it seems that being anti-Obama is the primary acceptance criterion for article inclusion. Opposing views are virtually nonexistent verbal MIAs. President Obama’s detractors want to see him assert more aggression toward our enemies. (Would Obama-bashers prefer that the prez simply flips an upright middle finger in the faces of hostile adversaries? Even more dramatic, why not pull all our troops out of the Middle East...and then nuke Mecca! That should definitely demonstrate an amount of aggression sufficient to satisfy even the most discriminating war monger. No doubt the prez’s Nobel Prize would be withdrawn.) Being "Independent" implies equal representation of differing opinions with at least the appearance of equanimity. If write-ins are restricted to the existing policy requirements, it remains futile to attempt rebutting the daily appearance of professional "righters" often entering articles of 1,000+ words! It’s a lot like the Honesdale Hornets taking on the NFL.
A newspaper is certainly entitled to proffer its own preferences or biases (we all have some), but in the interest of honest representation its title should reflect its core values. Categorizing oneself under the umbrella of "Independent" creates an illusion of fair-mindedness. Most WI pro wordslingers are clearly disgruntled republicans who’ve been feeding heavily on sour grapes ever since the ‘08 election. Despite the WI’s numerous qualities, being independent is certainly not one of them. Why not scrub the pretense and reflect a more representative title such as The Wayne Conservative or, in light of a full weekly Church Page (complete with bible sermon), perhaps the WI should call itself the Wayne County Epistle To The Honesdalians.
(Signed)
Joe Funke, Lake Como, Pa.
