In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to express my thanks, actually our thanks, for those who have contributed to the Greenfield Recorder’s op-ed page.
As the paper’s editor-in-chief, I process each My Turn and letter. Frankly, it’s an enjoyable part of my job, reading what concerns people in our coverage area.
Certainly, we have reported news this year that has inspired people to write.
For Greenfield readers, the fate of the proposed $19.5 million library was a popular subject, especially after a citizens petition took it out of the hands of the City Council and put it on the ballot of the Nov. 5 general election. We received many submissions, mostly for, which is how the vote turned out, but also against, mainly because of the cost.
Greenfield’s preliminary and general elections drew an enormous response. People wrote to tell why their favored candidate deserved to be elected. In fact, the response was so great, especially for the mayoral race, we didn’t get to publish all the letters we received.
Despite using extra pages, we simply ran out of space and time. Frankly, that was a nice problem to have.
So what other topics merited op-eds from our readers?
Mohawk Trail Regional School Committee’s decision to remove the large image of a Plains Indian from the school’s gym walls was one.
The protest by the Wendell Forest Alliance against logging in that state forest also was popular. So was the topic of climate change. They still are.
Of course, President Donald Trump had generated numerous op-eds, mostly negative although there have been a few supporters offering praise. I welcome both sides.
There are those who want to tell readers about an act of kindness or an experience they have had that’s unique to Franklin County.
And some have taken the paper to task for its coverage. Yes, we print those, too.
Often, we have readers responding to what others write. There’s a bit of back and forth.
The Recorder certainly has its frequent flyers. They abide by the one op-ed piece per 30-day period rule, and I can count on receiving a My Turn from certain contributors when their month is up. You know who you are.
Besides how frequently one can write, there are a few other rules. The word limit for My Turns is 750 and for letters, 300.
The Recorder reserves the right to edit the copy, usually for typos, and to reject those that are libelous. We don’t allow anonymous submissions or pseudonyms. Our preference is for those who live in Franklin County or have some connection to it.
Here’s how to submit. Email them to letters@recorder.com or for those who don’t do email, drop them off, typewritten, at the newsroom, 14 Hope St.
Make sure you include your address, which will not be published. For My Turns, please include one or two lines about who you are.
The editorial page is a time-honored tradition for newspapers. Today, it’s so easy to fire off one’s opinion to a select audience on social media, typically Facebook.
So, I am grateful that our readers take the time to put their thoughts in 300 or 750 words. I welcome your opinions.