Sending Letters to the Editor

Sometimes our readers ask how they can send an editorial to the Messenger.

Readers cannot send editorials. Readers can send letters to the editor. Editorials are opinion pieces that reflect the opinion of an editor or a publication. This is why they are on the opinion page. Readers can send letters to the Editor with their opinions. They can be called guest columnists, correspondents of the day or week or by any other title except editorial. If a newspaper calls a letter to the editor a guest editorial they are stating that the letter accurately reflects the opinions of the editor and the publication. This is often not the case with letters to the editor.

I have been having an ongoing discussion regarding our reporting of citizens’ comments during board meetings. Several people want both the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors and The Messenger to summarize citizens’ comments at board meetings.

According to Robert’s Rules of Order for Small groups (which is the rules under which the Charlotte Board operates) it is improper for the board to summarize what is said at a meeting in the minutes. Only votes are to be recorded in the minutes.

Regarding the Messenger’s reporting of meetings, we report discussion that we believe was relevant to the vote. We seldom report citizens’ comments for several reasons. The most important is that some citizens present incorrect information as facts. If we report what they said we are endorsing that incorrect information. If we add an editor’s note correcting the information we are making someone look bad for no purpose.

Another reason we do not summarize citizens’ comments is that some comments are rambling and really don’t say anything. Citizens’ comments are supposed to be relevant to the items on the agenda. For Special Hearings they must relate to the topic.

On the other hand a letter to the editor has other criteria. Citizens have more freedom in letters than they have at board meetings. As we say, send us your comments, criticisms, complaints, critiques, castigations and compliments. If your letter is appropriate we will print it just as you wrote it, unedited, uncorrected and unchanged.