Totally impressive- Boulder Weekly annual printing of best LTEs

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I have not had time to read all of this and suggesting reading it is not the point. The Boulder Weekly reviewed the LTEs of the past year and put the best one's up by subject. It is striking that people that know their subject can be so different than the echo chamber version of reality. Could you imagine what would happen if newspapers were proud of the LTEs they printed and encouraged people to submit contributions. The following is just the introduction to all the LTEs at http://www.boulderweekly.com/coverstory.html

We've got mail
Readers exercise the First Amendment

By Editorial Staff ([e-mail] )

It's a well-known fact that Boulder is an intelligent community. According to a poll in the USA Today, 52.4 percent of our populace over the age of 25 has at least a bachelor's degree, which is the highest in the nation. And speaking of highest in the nation, another poll found that Boulder was the second "highest" community when it came to marijuana usage. So it makes sense that the letters section—penned by you, dear Boulder—is one of Boulder Weekly's most popular sections, with a wide variety of opinions, articulated to the utmost.

Many readers have told us it's the first section they read when they pick up the paper each week. For some reason, people seem to take great pleasure seeing a despised columnist or blockhead letter-writer receive the proverbial tar-and-feather job.

As Boulder County's true alternative voice, Boulder Weekly doesn't shy away from controversial topics, and as a result, we've received our fair share of rants, snappy one-liners and even the occasional UnaBomber-esque manifesto. Some letters make us reflect on where we may have fallen short of the mark, and others that stoop to personal attacks make us chuckle and hit delete.

But more often than not, we receive letters of praise and thanks for our efforts to illuminate the human struggle, dishonesty and corruption resulting from the Bush administration and the ill-conceived war in Iraq. Our inboxes have been jam-packed with letters about the War on Drugs, the War on Terror, Boulder police riots, Ward Churchill and the call for Karl Rove's head. We appreciate the letters from readers who waxed sentimental on the passings of Hunter S. Thompson and our beloved Penny Lane.