Free speech, yes -- disrepect, no

Dear Editor,

I can't believe you deleted me ... whatever happened to free speech!

Indignant Web site commenter

Dear Indignant,

Free speech. We're for it. We're staunch advocates of it.

We believe freedom of speech is about the exchange of ideas without fear of being jailed, fined or put to death if we criticize the government or seek change, if our ideas are unpopular or even when others simply don't agree with our messages.

It's one of the reasons we allow comments on the Web site; that, and because we want to encourage the free exchange of ideas on how to make life in Vernon County better, even if those ideas come across as negative.

That doesn't mean we're in favor of people hiding in the shadow of anonymity, saying thing's they'd never say if their name were attached to it, libeling, insulting, attacking or belittling others on the Nevada Daily Mail's Web site.

Now many of our commenters are interested in talking over issues. That's OK, so long as they don't libel any group, person or entity; or use profanity. Sometimes they get emotional. That's OK. Some of them just want to be funny, which is OK but not really productive, and when funny becomes mostly insulting of others, well, that's not OK.

Free speech is never a license to speak hatefully for the sake of being hateful. Sometimes we delete such non-productive comments because they don't add value to the discussion.

Before you holler, "CENSORSHIP!" I urge you to stop and think.

When outsiders are thinking of bringing a business to town or moving here for whatever reason, they look to Web sites like ours to see what the community's like.

Based on most of the comments on the site right now, what kind of community would the Web site comment reader think we are?

Hopefully, whether they see comments presented in a negative way or a positive way, they'll see a community filled with passionate people with active minds, working to solve its issues. Oftentimes "negative" discussion is necessary; if problems are never discussed, they can never be resolved. Frankly, we'd like to hear even more open but civil discussion of problems and issues we can face and conquer together. But I hope our Web site readers also see the positive side, the people looking for answers and solutions, because those folks are out there, and I suspect they're the majority.

So go ahead. Speak freely. Speak your mind. Speak your heart, But when you're doing that, speak fairly. Speak thoughtfully. Speak respectfully.

Lynn A. Wade

Regional Managing Editor

Nevada Daily Mail/Fort

Scott Tribune/Weekend

Herald-Tribune

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AGELESS