To the Editor.

I have subscribed to The Bee for the past 15 years; during this time, your content has challenged readers like me to become better people. In the past, you have asked us to be kinder and to become better citizens of this great town.  Your editorials have asked us to think differently and inspired me to make change. Now, I would like to challenge you.

I see no need for the weekly Police Reports column in The Bee. To me, this column only adds shame and embarrassment to people who are already suffering. It calls public attention to private matters, and in doing so, hurts family members, children and spouses of people who have made mistakes. This section of the paper fuels gossip, and fails to provide real value to any of your readers. We know how hard our police officers work in this town, and we can recognize them without exposing the sad details of peoples’ misfortunes and mistakes. Naming individuals who have committed such mistakes and suffered misfortunes feels like something from the days of The Scarlet Letter—outdated and often, cruel.

If we truly are a caring and loving community, and we wish to promote that to all of our townspeople, then I suggest you stop printing this column. Why not replace it with a section called “Good News,” and use this place to report something wonderful each week instead?  Or let readers send you their own “Good News” that they can share with their friends and neighbors.  What a better way to use this space.

I challenge you to make a change and continue to help make all of us better by the actions we take to really make this a better world.

Patricia Marlin

28 Cobblers Mill Road, Sandy Hook             April 29, 2013