As the Stomach Turns

[Note to reader: Refer to this post for the full back story on this situation.]

Oh, you guys. It goes on. Sometimes it's just plain embarrassing to live here.

The latest Letter to the Editor of the Paducah Sun was published in the Monday, January 12th issue:

Column about cohabitation uncharacteristic of Sun

EDITOR:

I too am offended, along with many others, by the article in your newspaper about the “cohabiting for economy’s sake” promoting the actions of two of your staff. It’s apparent your editors have no understanding of the predominant morals of this community, but one thing I know you do understand and that is money. If you continue to publish such articles as this you will lose many subscriptions, mine included.

Your policies are probably not dictated by letters such as this, since it is only a letter to the editor. I would direct your attention to another publication that should establish your policies. It is called “The Holy Bible,” and you will not find such actions commended anywhere in its pages.


I do not know the young couple mentioned above so I cannot be disappointed in them, but I have known The Paducah Sun for many, many years, and I am sorely disappointed in you and the direction you have tried to take this readership. Shame on you.

Clint Horton
Benton

Now the Sun is accused of publishing a column about cohabitation by the conservative Mr. Horton of Benton. Mr. Horton directs our attention to THE HOLY BIBLE that he feels the Sun should use as a policy manual. Wow. I would think Sun employees would get really tired of offering goats as a sacrifice to The Lord as well giving up pork barbecue, but that's just me.

(I'm guessing gay marriage is out of the question?)

It's incredible that people like Clint Horton are still out there thinking that everyone should, for some reason, adhere to their moral code up to and including the local newspaper. As I said in my last post on the subject, I heartily support Mr. Horton's right to make his own moral choices and wish that he (and others like him) could extend the same courtesy to the rest of the world.

Beyond that, perhaps there is some value in the Sun making a decision about just what sort of paper it's going to be. Will it be a newspaper with turn-of-the-century values and a serious case of arrested development? Or a realistic publication of progress that reflects the world as it really is. Given that population decline continues (she said again) to plague the area and the shortage of young, educated professionals (exactly like Luthy and Shull) reflects that, is there really a choice other than progress?

The Sun published another installment by the couple in Sunday's paper. Hopefully, the series will continue. And the letters won't.