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   Being the commentary editor of a newspaper can be a tough job. Just ask Todd Kelley if you don’t believe me.  

   It's important that everyone realizes that a commentary consists of someone's personal opinion on a particular topic, whereas a news story simply states the facts. For example, this is a commentary – my opinion. Since Kelley holds the commentary editor position, his job is to write commentaries, find others to write commentaries and supply commentaries provided by Knight Ridder Tribune wire service, and, of course, edit all commentary material. 

   In some cases, commentaries may incite quite a bit of controversy due to the extreme opinions expressed within them, which is understandable. But lately, Kelley's received a lot of unnecessary, non-constructive criticism of his work. During the last two semesters, he has been called everything from too risqué to ignorant, among many other things. Between all the letters to the editor and personal comments I have received, you would think Kelley was advocating the murder of puppies.  

   One reader even went so far as to say he would no longer read The Voice if we continued to publish "crap" like Kelley's commentary on President Bush's wire-tapping. If you maintain a dissenting opinion to something published in The Voice, why not write your own commentary explaining your side, or at least be constructive with your letter to the editor, instead of name-calling?  

   Suggesting someone's opinion is stupid or ignorant just because you disagree with it, shows an inability to reason and accept views that differ from your own. That's part of what makes America such a great country: We don't kill each other over beliefs – or most of us don't, anyway.  I've probably disagreed with more of Kelley's commentaries than the majority of the people who read The Voice, but at the same time, I'm his biggest defender because he's doing his job and always supports his opinion. 

   Just so everyone knows that Kelley's not the only person in America allowed to express unpopular opinions: Joel Stein, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, recently wrote an op-ed entitled, "Warriors and Wusses." Basically, it bashed the troops and called them immoral. As outrageous and ridiculous as that may be, it is his opinion -- and the Los Angeles Times paid him to write it. So, I hardly think Kelley's criticism of wire-tapping warrants condemnation. 

   While Kelley, and obviously Stein, entertains views far from my own, they are both simply doing their job and exercising the freedom the First Amendment allows them. So the next time you read a commentary, instead of making personal attacks and condemning the publication, send in a well-researched rebuttal. At least then, you will have a chance at making them look stupid, instead of yourself.