Letter to the Editor

Don't shoot the messenger

Sunday, July 6, 2008

To the Editor:

In response to Letter, "Disappointed with Times' coverage," printed June 23, 2008:

While I agree wholeheartedly that the Rotarians put in hours of volunteer time to raise money to help our community in a multitude of ways, you are erroneously shooting the messenger here.

If the carnival celebration does not make the money that it usually does and is not drawing the crowds (which we have yet to experience), would it not be of benefit for the Rotary to be forewarned that they may have to find alternate fundraising that peaks the local interests?

Have you even thought that maybe those who respond to the polls online may not be the ones who routinely attend the carnival anyhow? Think about that demographic even.

I think about my teen daughters who would like to live at the carnival when it's going on. Do they look at The Brazil Times online, never mind respond to their poll? I highly doubt it.

Whether the negative Internet response is due to people more worried about drying out their flood damage (as I know at least one Rotarian is doing as well), a change in the times, or the poll just reaching a certain group of readers, the paper's reporting was just that: A reporting of opinion. If they started to censor that, would their next step be to not print what you wrote? What would you think about their censorship then?

Think about it.

Jenny Moore,

Brazil