Moderating, Censoring or Just Shutting Out

Are you one of the ones who've submitted a comment to the local paper or wrote a letter to the editior and your comment wasn't added or your letter changed from what you initially wrote?

Recently, while reading some of the comments made in the local paper, we came across this angry commenter; "first of all i think it's crap that all comments are not posted. who gives the staff at the wdt the right to decide what comments are posted. you should post all comments because everyone has the right to be heard." the people of wilson county have no idea what they've done. it was said directly out of the mouths of court officials that woodard does not have the experience or knowledge to run this county. sad when those that work so close to him say these things. Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 3:50 PM

And just yesterday we received the following: "Been waiting all day for my comment to show up in the Wilson Times. That was 11 hours ago. Guess it ain't happening. How come some folks can get away with saying what they want and when you try to respond yours don't make it in. That's what I want to know. Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 9:15 PM.

Been there. Done that. Gotta a community blog to prove it. Welcome to Wilsonian Voices.
As you can see, we don't do that anymore. We got tired of playing that game of roulette with the local paper last year before they switched over. Now, we just blog about it.

We sincerely subscribe to the notion, we may not agree with what you say, but we'll defend unto the end your right to have your say. That's democracy. That's the freedom of speech. It's the reason we created this community blog. For all our voices and not just a chosen few should you be selected and your comment makes it through the gatekeepers.

Make a note, we also understand the need for civility. Vulgarities that are extreme and blantant disrespect that truly crosses the line will not be tolerated here on the blog.

George Washington said "If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. "

Frederick Douglass said, To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.

So here's your invitation - got something you wanna say - pass it along our way. Make your comment or become a community blogger. We're listening.



"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it," [1] (which is often misattributed to Voltaire), Evelyn Beatrice Hall,