Burkeville Betty Creates A Stir

BURKEVILLE, VA -- In 40 years as a newspaperman, I have only allowed two writers of letters to the editor to use a pen name. These two writers have penned three letters, all to The Crewe-Burkeville Journal during the past year.

Frankly, I have had mixed personal views on allowing this. Now, one of the two writers allowed the liberty of a pen name, a writer using the pen name of "Burkeville Betty," has stirred something of a storm directed at the newspaper, which may have lost some advertising in the Burkeville area as a result.

What has happened, at least with some readers and the elected officials written about by Burkeville Betty, is the fact that they do not like what she has written and have gone after the newspaper and its editor and publisher (that's me!). This is one of the reasons newspapers, and I have worked for seven of them through the decades, do not allow pen names. As our critics have reminded us, writers should stand behind their words and readers should know who writes the words.

It has not helped that Burkeville Betty's last published letter spoke critically of the "good old boys" in Burkeville. I have found the the "good old boys" in these parts do not like being called that in the public prints.

One yet-to-be published letter to the editor opines that real names should be used on these items. Otherwise, the critic writes, ink is wasted.

We cannot exactly argue that point. So we are revisiting the entire issue and will have a discussion with Burkeville Betty about it.

Burkeville Betty, an educated soul, believes she would face threats and intimidation if she uses her real name. Instead, as these things usually work out, the newspaper and its editor are the ones facing harm's way.

We do not make it a habit of caving in to advertising pressure. But the critics, this time, may be more right than we are.

Stay tuned for new developments.