Txt the editor

[todayiamadaisy]

I'm all for equality. Class equality, gender equality, you name it: two thumbs up from me. And certainly, if I had land, I'd let the peasants walk across it without setting the hounds on them. However, there are times when I have to face the uncomfortable reality that I am, in fact, a bit of a snob, and reading the local paper's new "Text the editor" feature is one such time.

The traditional "Letters to the editor" page has always made me roll my eyes, mostly because of the sort of people who write in and the sort of things they write in about (for example, today's subjects include "Australian Rules football is the One True Code" and "The Decline of Table Manners in Restaurants"). However, now I know better. Now I embrace these people; they have complex (if sometimes slightly mad) ideas, they can express those ideas in sentences and paragraphs, and they attach their names to said ideas.

As opposed to:

Good on yous year 12. Yous should get all the respect you deserve - phil

A sex shop is a great idea i will be number 1 customer. - Scott

Im amazed at number vehicles with only 1 brake or tail light check em - Skeeta

Skool photos this year hav a new category which enables students 2 hav their photos airbrushed! how is this inforcing positive self-esteem - student

2 the P plater who beepd his horm at the little ol lady tryin 2 x Lava St. SHAME. Same 2 the 2 P's driving side by side on the hwy chattin! - Kat

So that's a third of page two taken up by illiteracy and anonymity.

Am I being unreasonable? Is this appropriate for a newspaper? I mean, it's a very popular new feature, and it's opened up participation in the public forum to a whole group of yokels people who may not have participated before, so that's good. On the other hand, you'd think a paper called The Standard would actually have some standards.