INSTIGATING LOGIC
Response to an unsigned letter
By JARED PUTNAM

First let me say that ordinarily we do not print letters to the editor that are unsigned, but once in a while I will run one just to show readers examples of the many different opinions that people hold. In this case I'm having trouble agreeing with the majority of the complaints, but I will give credit for originality, as I don't think I've ever heard anyone else accuse us of being a carbon copy of any other newspaper.

In terms of running articles to "please the fundamentalists," I'm afraid you are mistaken. There is a lot of church related news in our paper because we make an effort to print information and articles that are relevant to the people of this area. Guess what? You live right in the middle of the Bible Belt! Would you move to Lebanon and complain about the amount of Islam there? It is silly to not take into account the culture you live in.

As for your comment about the young women of "this area," I find it hard to believe that the problem is only being experienced in "this area." But I do think it is good that we have an organization like the Women's Enrichment Center, as well as people that are willing to support it. Even though you do not seem to agree with their methods, at least someone is working towards tackling a growing social problem.

About our cartoonist, I can't say for sure, but maybe he is "Pro-Israel." I personally think he is one of the funniest cartoonists I've seen, though that's just my opinion. But if you check around, I think you'll see that the "Pro-terrorist" cartoonists are in short supply these days. Go figure. I'll go out on a limb and say that it might have something to do with some lingering hard feelings over terrorists constantly trying to blow up...everything.

We have printed the "Alcohol in America" submissions because the author asked us to print his opinions on the subject. It is not uncommon for the same press releases and opinion pieces to be printed in more than one publication, but if you judge by the letters to the editor on the matter, this paper is the one people read it in.

Finally, I think our columnists each have their own flavor and appeal to different audiences. Its no different than a TV network that has different shows for different audiences. Daytime tv is heavily geared toward women, while other shows and time slots are designed to target men, young adults, etc. Still, a wide variety of entertainment appears within the same networks.

Likewise we have a variety of columnists. They may not all be your cup of tea, but they do put their names behind what they write. It is easy to take shots at people under the veil of anonymity, but it is a much different story when you put your name and reputation behind what you write.