PublishaLetter Blog

The letter to the editor on Lou Pritchett’s open letter to the President continues to generate many passionate responses. This an interesting turn of events.

The April 28th letter to the editor (http://www.publishaletter.com/editorchoiceletter.jsp?plid=10612) , itself was a comment on the open letter that was addressed to President Obama. Now this letter is generating many comments - some angrily against, some in support.

You are welcome to join in on the conversation.

In an earlier Blog we had described in general, the types of letters that do not get published. Here are some specific examples of letters that get rejected.

Letter with no name. Editors do not want anonymous letters. If the writer is not confident or able to attach his/her real name to the letter, it does not belong here. This is not a forum for anonymous tips and criticism.

Form letters with third party content. A few letters may slip through but not many.

Hate mail. Letters denouncing race, religion or a specific person. Letters promoting violence and trouble. They have no place here.

Ads in the form of a letter. No self promotion either. Letters with just a bunch of weblinks also don’t make it.

Personal letters. This is a vast category. Describing family issues is a no no. Petty peeves and personal problems don’t belong here. A good question to ask here is this. Would I read this letter if someone else wrote it?

Letters that just don’t hang together. Poorly written letters. Letters with clearly absurd facts and claims. Letters with no point or focus. Rambling thoughts. Poor grammar. Who would want to read such letters?

Specific complaints and matters sub judice. While some general complaints may be OK, a spefic, one -time incident with a merchant or business, is not. There are other agencies and forums that can better handle specific complaints with mercahnts and organizations.

What kind of letters do not get published? It is one of the more frequent questions, we are asked. For a long answer we suggest one reads our Terms of service. For a shorter and less elaborate answer click  on What to Write and What not to Write Here Just about letter box in the letter submission page. Here is an extract from What is PublishaLetter: This is not a forum for slander, propaganda, commercial offerings, gratuitous self-promotion, mass mailings, personal correspondence or things of that nature. This is a forum for you to share your thoughtful opinion in an articulate manner with the world! Letters that do not meet those criteria do not get published here or forwarded to a newspaper.

In a subsequent blog we will give more specific examples of letters that did not get processed.

In the US the topics of discussion as far as letter writers to the Publishaletter are concerned are

CIA vs. Speaker Pelosi and President Obaam’s speech in Notre Dame.

Here are excerpts from two letters on the subjects (interestingly both letters frame the discussions against Bush administration’s perspective):

Dear Editor: I consider the balance and conciliatory tone of your editorial to be commendable and a positive step to temper this acrimonious debate. I just do not recall similar efforts when the name was, instead of Pelosi, Bush, Rove, etc.

Dear Editor: I wonder where all the arrestees and busloads of outraged protesters were when former President Bush spoke at Notre Dames’s graduation. Bush was the king of Texas capitol punishment which the Catholic Church has clearly ruled is immoral and evil.

As the elections in India went on, there have been many letters about corrupt politicians, corrupt political systems, inadequate election supervision and host of other issues. Now, with the election results finally coming in, letters are more constructive. Here is an example:

Dear Editor: As now there is minimal possibility of hung parliament and UPA is almost ready to govern India with out any limitation of coalition government. The hope of people lies behind in the establishment of new order of society, with minimum social and economic inequalities, by maintaining communal harmony and removal of mass poverty and unemployment through revitalising Indian economy.

Check out more letters @ publishaletter