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Crofton Online: Thanks for writing. May I publish your comments? Del Jenstrom responds: "Sure." Crofton Online: Obviously I disagree. This IS the proper place for the expression of political views. If you want to express your opinions, we will publish them as well. We always invite comment. When the Crofton News-Crier prints a story, do they offer you that? Do you also feel you have a right to tell them what to publish? The Internet means everyone can express opinions freely. I would hope that your first line of argument isn't going to stand at calling me a jerk and telling me I should be ashamed of myself. But if that is the best you can do... Jonathan Inskeep Del Jenstrom responds: "If the site were named after you rather than Crofton, I would agree that it is the proper place for your, and only your, opinions to be presented in bold front page type. But the site is not named Inskeep Online, it is named Crofton Online. The page presents itself as an objective source for information about the community and then turns into your personal soapbox to present such paranoid, undocumented, irresponsible drivel as "Secret Republican Plan Revealed" (October 98 - note there are never any references or sources sited in your "reporting"). And I am not commenting on whether you are arguing a left-sided or right-sided agenda, only that a site that ostensibly tries to serve as a valuable resource for the community is not the place for such unabashedly one-sided and irresponsible editorials, especially on issues that have nothing to do with Crofton. Even the News-Crier, the Washington Post, or any other newspaper attempts to put blatant editorials on a page marked editorials, not on the front page. "My suggestion is to keep the front page as free as possible of editorials (i.e., don't use it as your soapbox) and create a link to a clearly marked opinions/editorial/feedback page for interchange of whatever opinions you want. I agree that interchanging ideas is a terrific thing to do on the internet, but don't mix it with community info. "I apologize for referring to you as a jerk. I was angry when I saw what you are doing to a page named after Crofton. I should not have stooped to name calling. "As far as what the Crier offers: yes, they offer an editorial/feedback page where comments are solicited and printed. And, yes, I have a right to express my views on what to publish just like you or anyone else does. "But I am not arguing about rights. Clearly you have the right to put almost anything you want on your page. What I am arguing is that you have established a page that could be of great value to the community, but you weaken its credibility and appeal with your proselytizing to the point of being embarrassing to the community. "If you wish, feel free to put this interchange on your page (on the opinions/feedback/editorial page, that is). Del Jenstrom" |