Prologue: Letter to the Editor

Adapted from a 1981 edition of The Tattler

Anyone can write a letter to the editor. It is not necessary to be a professional journalist in order to write one in the correct form, nor is it important whether the letter is equal in quality to War and Peace. These are not important aspects of the letter to the editor. 

Our only request is that they are written responsibly, since we are responsible for what is printed. This is not to say that writers’ opinions are in any way restricted; it is only to point out that they must be presented in a manner that would not be offensive to Tattler readers. 

Each must include the writer’s name although we will honor any request that the name will not be printed. Letters to be published are edited on the basis of length only, never content, and letters are shortened only when it is mandatory. Such editing is never done in a way that would alter the opinions or views of letters. 

Any subject that is important to one person is almost always going to affect others. Therefore, one should never feel that “nobody wants to hear about it, anyway.” The purpose of letters to the editor is to inform people about things that should concern them. When people appear not to care, it is usually because they have not been informed.

“Letters to the Editor” may be emailed to [email protected] or left in the story’s comments.