Barb Caffrey's Blog

The Kenosha News, in their infinite whatever, refused to print my election letter on the grounds that I’m not a Kenosha County resident, and that I’m not a subscriber to their paper.  Yet as far as I know, their “Voice of the People” section (what most papers call the “letters to the editor”) does not contain anything that says you must be a Kenosha County resident or a subscriber in order to comment on current events or anything else — I’ve read the Kenosha News many times because I don’t live that far from the Kenosha County line and often pick it up at a local gas station.

At any rate, since the Kenosha News refused to print my election letter, I’m going to print it here, in its entirety; you see if you find it objectionable in any way, shape or form:

To the Editor:
 
Though I live in the city of Racine, I have a great appreciation for Senator  Bob Wirch and wish he were my state Senator.  Here’s  why.  
 
In 2006, Sen. Wirch discovered that Gateway Technical College (which had a $2.4 million budgetary shortfall at the time) had  appropriated five million dollars of taxpayer money to create two private  organizations.  One of these was actually run for profit, but did the taxpayers of Wisconsin ever see a dime?  No!  
 
Without Sen. Wirch bringing this to light, we’d have likely had no idea about what had happened to that five million dollars. 
 
 At a time of unprecedented belt-tightening, we need Bob Wirch to stay in the Senate to make absolutely sure that our money is spent  wisely; we can’t afford to waste a single penny.
 
During these unsettled times, where Republicans run “fake Democrats” in recall primaries to give themselves more time to raise money, and Gov. Walker told the “fake David Koch” that he’d seriously considered planting fake protestors in Madison to cause further unrest, we need Sen. Wirch more than ever.  He’ll fight against bad budgetary decisions while continuing to fight for a transparent, honest and accountable government.
 
We need more people like Bob Wirch in the state Senate, which is why I urge you to please cast your vote for him on August 16, 2011.
 
Sincerely,
 
Barb Caffrey
Racine, WI

Now, what’s wrong with this letter?  That I like Bob Wirch?  (That’s what election letters are for — expressing your appreciation, or your disgust, for a candidate running for office.)  That I think it’s great he’s been able to bring things to light that otherwise would’ve gone unknown and unheeded?  That it’s under 250 words, which fits their guidelines?  What?

Mind, if the Kenosha News had prominently said on their Opinion page that they do not, emphatically do not, accept letters from people who neither live in Kenosha County nor subscribe to their paper, then I’d not be as upset.  I’d still not be happy about it, but I’d not be upset.

My letter to them in return after they said they were uninterested in my “voice” was something to the effect that I didn’t appreciate this, at all.  And that as I live in Racine County — right up the road from Kenosha — it’s ridiculous to think I don’t know what’s going on in this election, especially as part of Bob Wirch’s district runs straight through Racine County.

I also sent a voice mail, which, while again polite and using no four-letter words, expressed my outrage over this.  Emphatically.

So, now I know that at least one newspaper in this area doesn’t care what real people think about the important recall elections.  And that’s not just bad, sad, or shameful — it means they’re unwilling to do their real job, which in part is to report on what real people in their area think about the issues at hand.  Including this recall election.