Class act makes great fodder for Fence Post
A few key snippets from a select group of letters to the editor we've published in the past month or so.
On the media fascination with celebrities spawned by reality TV: "Publicity stunts have become a new surefire way of achieving the American dream. While it may seem that the media comes down too hard on these people, they are in fact glorifying a tacky lifestyle by handing over just the publicity schemers we're looking for." - Riley Cook
On the death sentence (shortly after the Brian Dugan verdict): "Call me spiteful, but I believe a lifetime of suffering in solitary confinement without parole would be much more effective than a death sentence." - Bianca Minniti
On Naperville's downtown squatter, Scott Huber: "One day we went downtown for lunch and talked to Mr. Huber. He was rude, impolite and seemed to treat his living environment on the street in front of the free public parking facility as if other people were trespassing if they came too close to it." - Mitch Bley
On climate change: "We deserve blame for the constantly changing weather, but we are also what is going to put an end to it. This year, fill up stockings with eco-friendly makeup, jewelry, and clothes; kids aren't going to even notice the difference." - Jessica Niemann
And, my personal favorite, on a Daily Herald editorial on getting less-than-plentiful H1N1 vaccines in the right hands: "I agree with your view 100 percent." - Lexi Crovatto
In many ways, these letters typify the best of our Fence Post column: Thoughtful, written with a point of view, occasionally hard-hitting but respectful. And, with all due respect to the many people who continue to weigh in diligently on health care reform, all focus on local issues.
One other thing these letters have in common: All were penned by high school students.
I'd dearly love to tell you - despite what that evil media says about newspapers no longer being vital, particularly among young people - that these kids break the mold, they do read newspapers and they do want to express themselves someplace other than Facebook.
That all may be true, but it's also true all the writers mentioned above were given the assignment to write to the Daily Herald by Carolyn Mohr, their journalism teacher at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn. Her unit on editorial writing ends by "analyzing the function and purpose of the letter to the editor."
Carolyn didn't give us a heads up that the letters were coming; it was only after an eagle-eyed editor discovered she was being cc'd on the e mails to Fence Post and made an inquiry, that the class assignment was discovered. (I am so on top of things around here.) The good news is these letters rose or fell on their own merits. And, frankly, that they were being written by high schoolers simply did not jump out, by and large. Most were published, with the usual editing for grammar and style and length, though, again, the students were very good at sticking to the 300-word limit we impose.
Another truth: Most of the letters submitted to the DuPage editions are published. Perhaps not as quickly as everyone would like, and right now we have a pretty good backlog. Some don't make it because they're too long (though we'll often give a writer a chance to pare it back or do it ourselves). We also reserve the right not to publish "rants" (an admittedly subjective view, but I'm sure you know what I mean) or letters that are particularly mean-spirited or personal, especially toward another writer.
Some people, from both sides of the political spectrum, have accused us of intentionally running more letters representing one side of the political spectrum. That's simply not true; our letters simply reflect who's writing.
But if you disagree, hey, write a letter to the editor.
jdavis@dailyherald.com