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February 18, 2007

REJECTED LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Expanding the visible spectrum of ideas

February 18, 2007

Dear Clusterflockers:

I’m writing to ask you to send us a “letter to the editor” you have written which has been rejected by a newspaper, or other publication, but which you believe will enhance the quality of public awareness and discussion. We are soliciting letters to include in the first edition of a new publication, to be launched on or about March 15th. We want letters that transcend the systemic amnesia of the daily news, and have ongoing relevance for our readers and potential authors. The letter need not be current, but should still be pertinent.

In the press, “Letters to the Editor” pages silently assert that journalism includes a place for the voice of the public. But inconvenient truths are too often absent. Visionary thoughts are rarely heard. This new online publication, Rejected Letters to the Editor, will soon provide an important, if only partial, corrective.

Our goal at Rejected Letters to the Editor is to expand the visible spectrum of ideas. To publish letters that will responsibly broaden public discussion beyond the boundaries set by the gatekeepers of our mental environment. We hold to the democratic conviction that public opinion must be educated by, and conversant with, the course of human events, and we will seek to publish letters that allow essential perspectives, presently unacknowledged by respected newspapers, to see the light of day.

Our purpose is not to provide a dumping ground for every letter sent to a “letters page,” but to publish letters that editors knowledgeable in a variety of fields believe will add to public understanding of the pressing—and not so pressing—issues of our time. We are uninterested in contributing to the widespread notion of “information overload.”

Through our editorial choices, we hope to add clarity and knowledge that is too often fugitive. Rather than adhering to the mind-numbing news cycle, we will be publishing fortnightly and maintaining an archive of all letters that appear in the publication.

Once the first issue appears, we will be spreading the word about RLTE, and the site will invite submissions via our email box: rejectedletterstotheeditor@gmail.com. As a beginning, though, we wish to plant some seeds that will help grow this publication. I hope you are willing to send us something. Your voice should inspire others. Please let us know which publication you sent the letter to, the item (with date) you were responding to, and the best way to contact you if necessary.

I hope you will participate in the debut of www.rejectedletterstotheeditor.com (not yet active) I’m hoping you’ll also help spread the word about this project. The RLTE Statement of Purpose is found below.

Yours Fellow Clusterflocker,
Stuart Ewen
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Statement of Purpose

Our goal at Rejected Letters to the Editor is to expand the visible spectrum of ideas. To publish letters that will responsibly broaden public discussion beyond the boundaries set by the gatekeepers of our mental environment. We hold to the democratic conviction that public opinion must be educated by, and conversant with, the course of human events, and we will seek to publish letters that allow essential perspectives, presently unacknowledged by respected newspapers, to see the light of day.

Our purpose is not to provide a dumping ground for every letter sent to a “letters page,” but to publish letters that editors knowledgeable in a variety of fields believe will add to public understanding of the pressing—and not so pressing—issues of our time. We are uninterested in contributing to the widespread notion of “information overload.” Through our editorial choices, we hope to add clarity and knowledge that is too often fugitive.

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