T&G Watch

Take a moment to read today's letters-to-the-editor and the current letters-to-the-editor-policy. http://www.tribune-georgian.com/ Click on "Opinion" tab on front page, then scroll down to letters. I haven't reviewed their printed letters-to-the-editor policy in quite a while because I had it virtually memorized. I distinctly remember that at some point in the past (possibly right up until Jonahthan was fired), part of the policy stated that there would be no mention by name of any business. There was one caveat: if , say, Habitat for Humanity wanted to thank Mark Giddens at Winn Dixie for providing deli platters for Habitat volunteers, that was okay. Now, today, we see Iron Sheila McNeil writng in, ostensibly to thank publisher - now publisher AND editor - Alan NeSmith for an opinion piece he wrote last week in which he apparently got onto readers for not shouldering their civic resposnsibility to support local, small time merchants - the kind who buy advertising from his paper. Of course, McNeil goes on to gig Hallmark for betraying her by offering their cards thru Walmart and even - horrors - grocery stores. In her last paragraph she threatens that if we don't shape up and buy her cards, with much higher markups, she'll just close up shop, go back to Sea Island, and subsist on Edo-Miller revenues. God help us! Then, we see a long letter (word count?) from a lady who lambastes an unnamed AC contractor ( but you can call her via her number in the letter and she we gladly tell you who that contractor, who likely does not advertise witht he T&G, is.) However, she does sing the praises of Turner Heating and Air, a local AC contractor who does advertize in the T&G. Lastly, we see a letter from a man who praises a local, franchise harware store, Ace Hardware, which does advertize with the T&G, by name, for providing good customer service. Clearly, that is one post-Maziarz editorial change. It will likely prove to be a slippery slope indeed. It also increases the list of folks who may well have been militating for his firing. If you folks notice any other post -Mariarz changes which I've missed (however exceedingly unlikely that may be :-)), please bring them to my attention.