Mr. Hobbs, did you even read my editorial letter before you changed it?

In all my years of reading, whenever a conscientious journalist edits an original submission, he makes note of and takes responsibility for his additions and/or deletions. That is not what happened with my letter to the editor that was printed on Feb. 14 (“Poor choice of words”).

My original letter did not have the potentially repellent four-letter word spelled out. It was submitted as “s _ _ _.” However, the editor of The Mirror changed it and filled in the letters. His “additions” completely negated the point of the letter, which was that every person in a public forum is responsible to speak, write and behave in ways that positively influence others. In fact, his editing of my letter may even exacerbate the problem we see so often today, where potentially hurtful and lewd language is used without thinking of whom one may be demeaning or negatively influencing.

I am sorry you deemed it necessary to write out the word. I think your readers are astute and perceptive enough to have figured it out on their own. If the truth be known, I am quite certain that a pattern of off-color language in your paper will soon turn many readers away from The Mirror and toward more upstanding publications.

I will be very surprised if this second letter is printed in your paper, but, if it is, please print it without any revisions.

Sherran Koshork, Federal Way