Worth a Second Look
To the Editor:
The letters in the OPINION section of the Record are what I usually read first. When I turned to that section today my first reaction upon seeing a full column letter continued to another page was “That letter is too long.” I decided to write a letter to that effect. But I decided I should read the column first.
Well, I was wrong. Hanna Hoffman’s letter in the May 15 FCR is the best letter I have ever read in the Record, including all of my own. Every point she makes is valid. Her language is exemplary. What she says needs to be read and understood by every literate Fayette County resident.
For those of you who had the same first reaction as mine and did not read the letter, here are the main points, much abbreviated. They are so cogent that they are well worth repeating. I use some of Ms. HofEiman’s words because they cannot be improved upon.
1. Most published letters would lead you to believe that our population is hopelessly divided into two camps which seem bitterly to loathe each other.
2. This makes it impossible to separate facts from strongly held opinions.
3. Much of the other information in the newspaper rightly emphasizes the values and benefits we all share.
4. Most people in what they say and do (if not what they write) demonstrate clearly the strength and cohesiveness of our society, particularly our local community.
5. Apparently relatively few people hold strongly the vituperative opinions that we see in print.
6. This is not a demand for less vigorous expression of strongly held opinions or criticisms.
7. Rather, it is a plea for readers to exercise more careful judgement, more insightful examination of the facts, and perhaps more humility before deciding how to react.
All this reinforces a position I have publicly taken several times recently, to wit: we can all benefit by being more respectful of the opinions of others, listening more carefully to people with whom we disagree (both mildly and vigorously), and giving more careful detailed thought to the matters which so greatly affect us.
Arnold Romberg La Grange