I receive the below letter in response to
my recent post on the potential of lawsuits against NOW bloggers.
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Dear Steve,
A while back, you wondered why some people responding to your blog remained anonymous--I think you have your answer. Intimidation.
Alas, there are always a few people in a community who call the police or the lawyers before they pick up a phone or knock on a door to discuss a problem with a neighbor. No wonder people are afraid to speak up.
Bloggers play an important role in public discourse in the community. They are not journalists and the ShorewoodNOW disclaimer makes it crystal clear that their opinions are just that--opinions.
As for "getting the facts straight," the Shorewoodians I've talked to would love to have the local government officials find more effective ways to communicate facts to their constituents, but as you've pointed out, the news coverage of Shorewood issues is rare. Village Board meeting minutes are not published, and eventually make their way onto a website weeks later. Village and School Board meetings often run for hours, and many people feel intimidated about going to a meeting for less than the entire time.
I wish the individuals who feel personally attacked would have the courage to speak out and offer their neighbors their point of view and add to the discussion rather than going to lawyers in an attempt to suppress dialogue in the community.
- Nancy Peske Darrow, 9/12/07
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