Knee-jerk reaction leads to sophomoric column

Last week I got on my soapbox and called names...pretty childish. I got a call from a concerned reader that I had muddied the name of the Phillips County News. This reader was offended about the language I used and that I attacked another person. She said that my opinion about Ann Coulter showed my political leanings and my language was middle-school at best.

Looking back, I have to agree.

I would like to apologize to anyone I offended with last week's column. I tried to make an argument that a person who would disfranchise a group of American voters had better be careful what they wish for as sometimes in life, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. That allowing one group of people to have their Constitutional rights taken away could lead to a larger group of people also losing said rights.

I was offended by what a political commentator was quoted as saying and then turned around and offended others. The language I used to express my thoughts teetered on the line between good and poor taste. I see that now, though at the time of the writing I thought I was being thoughtful. Live and learn.

I was once taught a lesson that for whatever reason I forgot last week. The lesson was that if something or someone has upset you, sit down, write a letter expressing your feelings, print it, put it in an envelope and then throw it in the wastebasket.

The reason behind this method of self expression is that your first response to a thing that offends is often erratic, filled with hyperbole and emotion. It is often irrational.

The person who called after reading my column said that there was a more respectable and professional way to make a point and the caller was right.

A knee-jerk reaction to what a political pundit had to say shouldn't have run in the paper ...definitely not the first draft anyway. From here on out I will be more thoughtful and keep my readership in mind.

I still strongly disagree with what Ann Coulter said, but, at the end of the day, who cares what I think?

Again, if my language, sophomoric attempts at humor or tone in last week's column ruffled your feathers, I apologize. It is never my intention to offend, but unfortunately it sometimes happens.

Thanks for reading and aloha.