Thread: My Letter to Editor Printed in Miami Herald

I wrote a letter to the editor of the Miami Herald after reading one about ICE raids and how illegals are here to make a better living just as our predecessors and that is not a crime. They edited my letter and had another one who was against illegal immigration as well. His letter stated how he was in the military and can't get a job as bilingual is what they ask for.
This is what I sent:
This is in response to Bertha Arias' letter regarding immigration raids. I am insulted by the comment: "The majority of these people are just like you and me - working to better themselves like their predessors did in this land of opprotunity. That is not a crime." I am here from Canada and I played by the rules. Are you telling me that if American resident or citizens uses someone else's SSN it is identity theft but not for illegals? Have you read what it says on the back of your SSN? It states: "Improper use of this card or number by anyone is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both." It does not say it is okay for illegals to use to make a better life for themselves.

And this is what they printed:
I am insulted by the comment: "The majority of these people are just like you and me - working to better themselves like their predessors did in this land of opprotunity. That is not a crime." I am here from Canada and I played by the rules.

I would be calling the paper demanding a retraction!!!!!!!!!!

Dixie

Unbelieveable. They should either print it in toto or not print it, but to edit it down to a footnote is outrageous.

when edited, the message doesn't mean anything close to what you meant. Another example of supporting criminal aliens.

swatchick
they do that alot these days, to me twice in the last year, they must have
some rule about printing the facts
the last time they told me it was a space issue, when i ask "how much space did one more line take up" the guys on the phone sent me to the editor of my story, and he said "would you have me not print it at all" then he hung up. No good bye Kiss my beeep or any thing. Im still holding my breath.

I don't know why I am still shocked by this sort of thing, but I am. It's unethical in the least to spin your written word, written being the key. It is what it is. I suppose they'll call it paraphrasing and not taken totally out of context.

A friend of mine is in the legal process of immigrating to the states from Ireland. Almost a year later and many dollars more, she still does not have her green card. But like you, doing it the right way.

Forgive me. I know I'm going way out here but...

Have you read what it says on the back of your SSN? It states: "Improper use of this card or number by anyone is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both." It does not say it is okay for illegals to use to make a better life for themselves.

A relative accepted an early retirement from the government. She is now a civilian worker/employee, not for the money necessarily, but in order to build SS credits so that she can collect monies PAID in before her government career. So in theory, she could allow someone to borrow her identification and build those credits for her. She could then later reap the rewards. Oh no, that's right, she would be breaking the law and WOULD be punished when caught. The borrower, well they'd get a credit card and home mortgage.

i think i would be on the phone with the people at that news paper and tell them they need to stop editing and demand that your entire letter be printed. and would raise hell till it appeared. send it every day and see what happens

Originally Posted by Dixie

I would be calling the paper demanding a retraction!!!!!!!!!!

Dixie

Me too. It wasn't edited for grammatical errors or something, they changed the whole meaning! BS

In my local paper the editor has discretion on what she will print. None of my letters have ever made the paper.

This is a crock, and what my news paper did to me, I canceled my news paper, now every time they call me and ask me to renew my subscription I tell them the story and what to do with their news paper!!

As we used to say in construction.. we need a big hand saw to cut off S FLA right below the lake and push it back out into the Atlantic.

All kidding aside, swatchick, I am sorry to hear about this. It's really a shame when what you write or say becomes censored. You might be able to sue for this on the grounds that the newspaper should not have printed it if all of it could not be printed..in other words, don't print it unless they can print all of it..anything else would be censorship. But good luck sueing over that in Miami. If it was in Jacksonville, you might have a fighting chance.