The writer of the letter titled "What's the purpose of Mosher's 'tirade?' has asked the editor of the Fairhope Courier to explain why a particular person has been given space in this newspaper for a few weeks.

Included in the Page 4A Masthead of each edition of the Fairhope Courier and frequently also in a separate “What’s Your Opinion” information box on an editorial page, the following or similar statement is made: Opinions of editorial columnists or letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this newspaper.

The editorial pages of the Fairhope Courier do not exist for the newspaper, they are present for the readers of the Courier. No one is excluded from participating in the editorial page. They are not excluded because of their age, race, gender, religious affiliation, ethnic background or socio-economic status. Neither are they excluded because they have been elected or appointed to public office or because they have not been elected or appointed to public office.

Every person willing to sign their name to their submission and include a telephone number is given equal consideration for publication. Actually that has been one of the major problems with these pages over the years. Many folks who live and work here don’t feel free to state their opinions about local political issues on these pages, or to be quoted as the source of information in a news story. Why? The most frequent responses they give are: “I have to do business in this town,” or “I would lose my job.” This stifling of public comment is a sad commentary on freedom of speech in our little corner of America.

Yes, Mr. Mosher ran for office; it’s true, he was not elected. And yes, he purchased political advertisements in this newspaper as did many other municipal candidates. The Fairhope Courier did not pick and choose which political advertisements we would publish. All that were submitted in compliance with the law and were paid for were published.

The same policy is in effect with regard to guest columnists and letters to the editor. Those submitted in compliance with the newspaper’s submission guidelines are published. Our stance as a community newspaper is not to tell residents what to think but to provide residents with a public forum in which they may express their particular viewpoint.

Mr. Mosher is not a permanent columnist of this newspaper, but his columns may continue for several more weeks. Some like them; others do not. Years ago, his father-in-law, Craig Sheldon, wrote a weekly column, “Knee Deep in Fly Creek,” that was published in the Fairhope Courier for a long time. The focus of those columns was also on local politics, and they too elicited strong opinions.

Mayors and councils in Fairhope have been working out how to govern since 1908. More and more, they must do so in a public setting as laws have been established and revised over the years that require them to do so. And over time, the residents they govern grow more interested in what they do and how they do it more frequently than once every four years when they are asked to enter a voting booth and pull some levers.

While the Fairhope Courier might disagree with the viewpoint expressed in a column or letter, it fervently protects the right of all residents of this municipality to express their opinions on these pages on issues that concern them.

The Fairhope Courier has no idea who will run in the next municipal election or who will win. It has never endorsed candidates nor told its readers who they should vote for. We inform the readership on who is running for office, what their campaign platform is and who is financing their campaigns, what the registration deadlines are and where and when the polls will be open. That is all we will ever do.

So in conclusion, we invite you one and all (on a space-available basis), step up to the plate and express yourself. These pages are for you.