Every once in a while — okay, once a year — we like to remind our readers that we welcome and appreciate your guest columns and letters to the editor. We are proud to be a forum for robust civil discourse, and the sheer volume of submissions we receive each week is a clear sign of our strong connection to the communities we cover.
But even as we say we welcome them, we need readers to understand a few key points about our policies.
Guest columns and letters to the editor are solely the opinion of the author on a subject or subjects. The views expressed in them do not represent the views of Times Review Media Group or its staff, and our decision to publish a guest column or letter should not be viewed as an endorsement of any particular opinion.
Guest columns can range in length from 500 to 800 words, but work best at about 650 words. Longer pieces can be challenging for us to fit in the allotted space and shorter ones may work better as letters to the editor, which, per policy, should be no more than 350 words.
Opinion pieces and letters to the editor often receive responses from other readers, who may agree or disagree with the initial writer’s opinion. That’s understandable and we do our best to give all points of view a fair hearing. But typically, available space can only accommodate one response per letter or guest column. If we receive multiple responses on a single issue, we will do our best to include as many as we reasonably can and still ensure that the spectrum of opinions submitted is fairly represented.
Letters to the editor and guest columns go through the same editing process as all the content we publish: Everything is read by an editor and a copy editor, and changes are made mainly for length and clarity and to correct grammar, spelling and sentence structure. We do not “edit” your opinions. We may ask you to clarify, or say them in a different way, but otherwise they are the writer’s opinions.
Here is what we will not publish: anything that is anonymous; anything that contains offensive personal attacks; anything that cites conspiracy theories as if they are fact or accepted wisdom or makes accusations that are not readily and reliably verifiable. Derogatory, mean-spirited or bigoted language against any individual or group — based on race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status and, yes, even political affiliation — will not be considered for publication. We don’t truck with hate speech, and while it may be difficult to precisely define what crosses the proverbial line, as former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart noted in a 1964 obscenity ruling: we know it when we see it.
As with all of our content, we endeavor to be fair and transparent in curating the opinion pieces we publish, but despite all too common accusations to the contrary, we are not in the business of promoting some woke-media liberal agenda, nor are we card carrying members of some right wing mob. In fact, like most of our readers — and indeed the majority of Americans — we as individuals express a wide array of opinions on a wide array of topics and we understand and appreciate that despite the pointlessly divisive nature of our current political discourse, we do not live in a dualistic, either/or world.
We appreciate your feedback and insights as we strive to be a trusted voice on the news and issues that matter to you most.
Guest columns and letters can be emailed to editor@timesreview.com, or submitted digitally on our websites.
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