DUMMERSTON — Let me get this straight. Your policy is that you do not publish anonymous letters to the editor. The letter included some statements that were described in the letter as unsubstantiated rumor and gossip.
It was written and signed, according to you, by more than 20 local business people who did not wish to be identified. In view of the importance of the topic you published the letter anyway but not the identity of the authors.
We are in a period when press freedom is under assault in many countries and we have a sitting president who describes any published reports concerning his and his subordinates' misdeeds as “fake news.”
You chose to publish the letter despite the ethical dilemma it posed. I hope you did not lose any sleep over it.
Homelessness, addiction, and panhandling are rapidly worsening problems in Brattleboro, obvious even to those of us from surrounding communities who view Brattleboro as a valuable resource for shopping, medical care, fine dining, banking, criminal justice, legal representation, and other services.
I hope in the future you address these serious problems with the journalistic rigor and attribution your esteemed profession demands.