To the editor:

Dear Mr. Manners:

I am a former Town Council member who has views on all issues and am, some may believe, a negative scanner.  For example, in a recent letter to the editor I included these locutions about town leadership:  “the other faction,” “They don’t want the public to participate,” “as much as they can get away with,” “they abused free speech for political advantage,” “You’re just a spectator.”  I am so angry that I have a problem differentiating between opinion and fact. Can you help?

Confused

Dear Confused:

Unbridled passion, important in some of life’s realms, can lead in politics and government to that awesome feeling of absolute superiority which can blind us to other views and strip away our native humility.  In my view ...   I believe ...  It seems to me ...  These are tests you might mentally insert before your statements.  If one of these tests seem fitting, the following is very likely an opinion.  

Facts are harder, almost always requiring some evidence.  Even then, reasonable people can differ about facts, especially if their counter-evidence points out a possible factual error, not simply a clever, alternate interpretation. Hang in there. Good luck and Happy Holidays. 

Will Newman

Tiverton