Ok, with all due respect to Roger Kasa, let’s talk.
Last week, on Tuesday, we published an opinion/editorial - an Op/Ed - written by Kim Smith. On Wednesday, we published a letter written by Robert Jones, although his name was inadvertently left off, through a glitch in software between two different computers.
Then the clouds began to gather. Thunder quickly followed.
“Why are you publishing letters with no name?”
“This is the same as what was in Tuesday’s paper; why is the Plainsman not following its own policies?”
“Aren’t you giving extra consideration to the negative side of this question?”
First thing - I appreciate everyone reading the Plainsman. I sincerely thank you.
I won’t bore you with the hows and wherefores that Bob’s name was left off his letter. There was no intent on anyone’s part to withhold any information. It happened.

The difference between a Letter to the Editor and an Op/Ed is primarily the length of the submission. Letters to the Editor appear under a “Your Views” header (See example on the top of Page 4, right over there) that I created for this purpose, although this difference isn’t evident to everyone.
Although, since I was not here to put the Tuesday Opinion page together, the person who did build it understood the difference and didn’t use the “Your Views” header. But I digress.
We follow the Letter to the Editor policy. I know what the policy says because I refined and rewrote it when I started 20 months ago. So, the idea that the Plainsman is not following its policy is without merit. Let the whisper campaign end on this, OK?
Finally, we’re not giving extra consideration to any side of any question. Seriously?
Ninety-nine times out of 100, I am the person that prepares items for the Opinion page. And while, just as all of you, I do have opinions, those opinions do not enter into my choices of what appears on the Opinion page.
Let me be crystal clear on this, OK? Letters to the Editor are published. All of them. One per calendar month, 300-word limit. Name, address and phone number. And if you email it, I will call you to confirm your submission.
I don’t have to agree with the opinion being expressed - frankly, I don’t a large part of the time. And then, sometimes I do.
My point is that letters are published as quickly as I can get them prepared and my opinion doesn’t enter into the equation.
The same thing applies to columns. We subscribe to two  services that supply us with content. I try to find a wide range of opinions and appreciate the suggestions that have been submitted from some of you.
People express opinions on all sides of divided issues. I strive to find different opinions than what you may see or read elsewhere, whether I am in the same camp or not.
Until Wednesday, we had not seen any that were on the positive side of the upcoming referral vote. When they were submitted, they were prepped and published. Ta-da!
On that note, the final day to publish Letters to the Editor regarding the May 16 vote will be on Sunday, May 14. That means that if you want to share your opinion on this important vote, have it to me by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 12.
Thank you again for reading and for all your questions.
If you have any questions, give me a call at 353-7425 or drop me a line at editor.plainsman@midconetwork.com.