The North Kitsap Herald’s Editorial Page has recently come under fire as furthering everything from racial bigotry and class separation to misinformation. It’s been an interesting dialogue and one that seems to occur every few years when tempers flare over this and that. Some of our readers have taken offense that certain letters and opinions have even seen the light of ink — something they expressed in their own letters, which of course they feel should be printed.

Bottom line, this is an opinion page. And if you think everyone living in North Kitsap plays the same tune when they sit down and share their thoughts with the public, this page is proof positive that the views of residents here vary greatly. This is by no means a bad thing.

In fact, this page is a microcosm of what free speech is all about — an unfettered exchange of ideas. Or as unfettered as common decency allows, note there are no four-lettered words. Brash statements, offensive ideologies? Absolutely.

But to say the community paper should not express the ideas of the community it serves in the one place it can is paradoxical. This page welcomes one and all. It is a melting pot of cultures, religions, politics and personal views. Reactions to the end result, however, are largely dependent on what the individual reader likes or dislikes.

Either way, it’s compelling stuff — some more so than others. The point here is that the Herald will continue to welcome letters from across the board and print them whether or not we agree or disagree with their contents. We’re not racists, haters or fanners of flames, we’re simply offering the community an open forum to share its thoughts and embrace their right of free speech.