this letter revised almost hourly, it seems

To the editor:

I am writing to ask why you publish badly-written and bigoted letters opposing evolution and gay equality. These letters contain no information and barely an authentic opinion. Most often, they are tautological circles of received ideas -- "It is what it is because I say that's what it is" -- as if this could convince anyone.

Major metropolitan newspapers publish thoughtful letters with insights and ideas, not petty squabbling riddled with factual errors.

Many local letters reveal their authors to be deeply misinformed. I would think that, for the newspaper, this in itself would be an embarrassment.

Neither is it amusing to read letters that are ungrammatical or ignorant. They reflect badly upon the newspaper and the community.

Not that long ago, someone wrote suggesting we bomb Gaza as a solution to the problems of the Middle East. Some, if not many, of these letters qualify as hate speech -- against Muslims, against immigrants, against same-sex couples, against other letter-writers, even against people who support free speech.

The insane war in Iraq continues (a war the newspaper endorses), while letter writers selfishly wax irate over the cost to fill their cars with gas.

The News-Gazette is not required to publish every letter it receives. Without practicing censorship or partisanship, the newspaper would do well and improve the community by editing the letters column more judiciously.