To the Editor:

I still enjoy reading The Enterprise articles about my hometown all the way in Minnesota. I have written many letters to the editor since all the way back in 2010 and with my visits home and my family still living in the Hilltowns, I usually always have something to say.

This time, it seems The Enterprise has started its transition from reputable journalism to profanity-laced, tabloid articles and opinion pieces.

The editor can defend the decision to use the “c-word” over and over but no matter how many times she does, it still shows how completely unprofessional the editorial work has become as a whole.

You have no problem using the “c-word” or “f-word” or others, but when (or if) it comes to the use of the “n-word,” will the editor publish that? First, I sure hope not and second, I doubt it. No matter the context or the quote, you wouldn't and shouldn’t publish that word in full.

There was no reason that the “c-word” had to be published in full. It’s repulsive. It was completely, 100-percent clear what the author of the article was trying to say and show. You did not need to spell it out so we could see and feel the hate and insults directed towards Ms. Gordon. It was more than evident.

Your decision was the wrong one. Plus, there were photos of the Google Docs form if people really needed to see the insults in full.

Instead of having people direct their anger at the misogynistic commenter who said that to Ms. Gordon, you have only made people angry at this newspaper for having the audacity to publish that word in full. You didn’t help create more civil discourse.

You simply made people pissed off and disgusted, more than anything else. They have a right to be, because it appears you are just perpetuating the problem rather than actually helping it, especially when going ahead and publishing the word another two times last week.

Is this newspaper more concerned about wholesome stories or just stories that create a “wow” factor? You certainly outdid yourself with the “wow” factor this time.

And what was your point in publishing the “c-word” two more times? Extremely unprofessional, plain and simple. At that point, it really seemed like you didn’t care what your readers, your customers, thought at all.

Sure, it made us feel uncomfortable but not for the reason you may have wanted. Instead the uncomfortableness comes from the shock, disgust, and once again, unprofessionalism by publishing it in full, now a total of three times. Shameful.

Simply being respectful to your readers and at the very least, dashing out the full word, would have been acceptable for the original story. And dashing it out definitely should have been done for your own editorial if you honestly felt you needed to write it again and again. Although, I think it should have been left out in the first place. I would never want my own future children to read such filth. Please do better.

I think many, if not all readers, will agree that these threats and slurs do show the cowardice from the person they came from. And it absolutely shows the lack of respect for individual rights and varied viewpoints. Those that are intolerant of others will simply resort to these slurs which we have seen and cannot offer any type of valid reason or argument for their point of view.

Ideally, we should just keep all those words out of each and every one of our mouths and then we wouldn’t have to worry about this at all ever again. But that is in a perfect world and we live far from a perfect world unfortunately.

To close with a quote used in the anti-terrorism campaigns: “If you see something, say something.” Stand up and speak out if you witness these comments. Do something about it. Stop it dead in its tracks so that person knows it is unacceptable, wrong, disgusting and downright pathetic. We must all stand together to fight misogynists and racists in this country if we ever want to heal as a nation and become whole again.

Josh VonHaugg

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Editor’s note: As I explained to your mother in my note to her letter last week, The Enterprise does not use slurs gratuitously. When they are central to a story, we spell them out. See related editorial or listen to our podcast with Sarah Gordon to hear her views on our reporting the slur.