Saturday Mail

It's been a while since we dipped into the ol' e-mailbag, so here goes:

A while back, a reader who wrote in to tell us we had be slackers. We posted the reader's email, along with an earlier comment the same reader had made about us on David Allen's blog.

Well, the same reader wrote back after our post. In fairness, here's the reader's response:

DATE: Wed, May 26, 2010 3:27:39 PM
SUBJECT: Got me!
FROM: Chandler Hill
TO: Claremont Buzz

You got me! I have to admit to feeling a certain dubious honor at having been aligned in your crosshairs like so many others you have sniped from your hidden positions. I won’t make any excuses, only offer an explanation which I think you will find pays you tribute. Indeed I did feel that good riddance was called for during your still mysterious hiatus. I was tired of hearing only one side of things, and I felt a certain amount of moral authority was necessary when slinging accusation and innuendo so freely, the sort that comes from signing one’s name to one’s claims. Instead, by hiding behind anonymity, much of what was being said lost much of its currency.

However, it did not take long for me to see that without your voice, there was none at all speaking up when and where it was needed. And…perhaps…the anonymity was necessary in part to give that freedom. Local papers have commercial interests. And local citizens have many interests that can come in conflict with the very powers you take to task.

It was your silence, finally, that made me think this was not such a good riddance after all, and a new appreciation for your voice—albeit nameless—took the place of my very snarky comment. I started missing you guys.

But on my other earlier point, I remain adamant. You need to open your blog to reader comments. You need to give your followers the chance to add their few cents worth: to agree or disagree or offer another version or another opinion. That’s only fair. You of course have the ability to block a comment you deem unsuitable, but give us the chance to be participants in this little project of yours.