NEWSPAPER LETTERS BECOMING A MIND-NUMBING BLIZZARD

Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately by the letters to the editor in the Ripon Commonwealth-Press? I have just become used to the new format, which I have come to like, despite some early misgivings. Now, it seems the op-ed page needs an overhaul, and we saw the first steps this week. The paper has adopted a policy of one letter per month, and a size limitation on the letters. Recently, it seems the same three or four people are writing letters, and they seem to be getting longer and longer. When I first got into broadcasting, one of my mentors told me, "If you can say it in 60 second, you can do it in 30, and, if you are good, 15." He was referring to commercials, of course, but the point was that sometimes being succint is the best approach.

I know we have freedom of press, and freedom of speech. That is one of the reasons I allow anonymous comments on this blog. The recent blizzard of letters regarding the Ripon Area School District's finances have cast a shadow of confusion on the district. We are facing some difficult decisions in the next few months, with a referedum looming. I hope we can weave our way through the chafe and find the kernels of facts in all of the discourse and debate. I respect those who have the passion to explain their points and views, but I hope we don't let that passion blind our reasoning as we likely head to the ballot boxes in April.

That is all..I will keep this short, so somewhere my old mentor in radio can smile.