TO THE EDITOR:
Over the last couple of days, as evidenced in posts on Facebook and Thursday’s Quick Hits, there’s been a minor uproar over James Dodson’s offensive and flippant message in response to Jeff Deluca’s letter to the editor.
The comment is indefensible. But the response must be measured.
Jeff publicly shared the remark sent to him under the presumption of privacy. It’s a foolish presumption. Anything in writing ceases to be hearsay.
But it’s an important presumption which we shouldn’t violate casually.
I don’t think Dodson’s ideas can stand scrutiny. But I think all ideas here deserve air to breathe. In that spirit, I chose to publicly share Dodson’s comments as well. But that’s where it ends.
Dodson was rude, but he wasn’t threatening. The worst thing that could happen now is a public campaign of hate and humiliation.
I felt the Quick Hits came awfully close. Dodson can be written off as ignorant and crude. We can’t.
If we rush in anger to selectively smother some, we’re sinning against the very spirit in which we exposed these ideas in the first place.
