By Nathan Moulton
I realize that many of you probably curse my name because I haven''t published your letter to the editor. Unfortunately, we just don''t have enough space for every letter to be printed. After all, I receive 40 to 50 letters each week and only have space to print 12 or 13. Some weeks, I receive even more.
In my time as the opinion editor here at The Daily Universe, I''ve learned that I can''t predict which issues will spontaneously combust into a furious blaze of scriptural accusations. Sometimes, what I think are the most important topics don''t seem to get any attention, while the topics I find trivial or ridiculous often ignite passions among our readers.
Recently, for example, I printed a letter complaining about people who don''t smile as they walk around campus. To tell the truth, I only printed the letter because I needed something else to print besides letters about gay marriage (in two days I probably received 30 submissions on that topic ? most said the same thing), and I didn''t have many options. When I first read the letter, I said to myself, 'Oh come on. Don''t people have better things to complain about?' But I was desperate, so I edited it and put it on the page.
Over the next several days, I received many letters from people in support of, and opposed to, other people smiling. Some took offense to being told, in a very general way, that people at BYU don''t smile. As usual, many quoted scripture to refute the scripture that the first letter-writer had used.
Speaking of scriptures, I could probably get my daily scripture study done just by reading the letters I receive everyday. There is always some verse or modern prophet that apparently backs up the writer''s opinion.
I never knew there were so many general authorities who are (or were) Democrats, for example. That''s a point that is often made in letters supporting Democrats. I usually take those references out of the letters, however, since I don''t know if it is rumor or truth. Most of the brethren probably wouldn''t want their political affiliations thrown around as justification for others'' secular opinions anyway.
Speaking of editing, some may get offended when they see things missing from their published letters. Often, though, the letters are huge. It says right on this very page that letters should not exceed 200 words, but that doesn''t stop people from sending me angry doctoral theses on the problems with free parking.
Other English-major types will send letters with flowing intros and complex language that is supposed to convince everyone of their authority on a topic. That may be their writing style, but it often adds too many useless words to a letter. I just have to find the main points and cut out the rest. They may be disappointed, but I''m doing them a favor. This isn''t an academic journal, after all. If people have to spend too much cranial energy trying to understand a letter to the editor, they''ll just skip it and move on.
The space limitation also goes for people who send in letters signed by five or six people. Sometimes these letters make me laugh, because they will be written in first-person singular but signed by many. I wonder which person that 'I' is referring to. With these letters, I''ll just take the name at the top of the list and feel bad that the rest didn''t get to be in the paper.
With all of these negative observations, though, I do enjoy reading people''s letters. Thank you for reading my page and responding. You may not agree with many things that get published, but at least it gets you thinking. That is my goal, and your letters do a good job in helping me reach that goal. So keep on sending them. Just be sure to look at the box in the bottom right corner of this page before you do.