Online protocol and political attire

First, just a bit of the proverbial "housekeeping" issues.

To my three adult children (whose respective names are omitted as to not further embarrass any of the Irish Triumvirate), thank you all for the thoughtful Father's Day gifts. I didn't deserve any of them (maybe the new drawers), but I appreciate everything. Thanks.

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Next up, a relatively brief response to a Highland County public official who called one of our online readers a "coward" for making an anonymous online comment.

Bob Lambert, director of the Highland County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, wrote in response to a recent comment: "If you really had the courage of your convictions, you would be honest and not a coward behind a mask."

Granted, I could have – and perhaps should have – deleted Mr. Lambert's post. But given that he is a public official in Highland County, my thoughts were that I would afford some latitude on this one.

My response, which is readily available at www.highlandcountypress.com, was this:

Mr. Lambert, while I appreciate your reading Highland County's only locally owned newspaper and the compliments which you bestow on it, I will, with all due respect, disagree with your statement to another HCP reader: "If you really had the courage of your convictions, you would be honest and not a coward behind a mask."

While I would prefer that our online authors identify themselves, there are a fair number of reasons why they do not. For some, it's a fear of retaliation or possible job loss. For others, it's a concern – whether real or imagined – of some retaliatory actions against their children.

Among those "cowards," as you call them, are a number of public officials – both past and present. Most are trying to shed much-needed light on a given situation. Others are simply frustrated with their local government.

Regardless, our rules of etiquette apply to both those writers who identify themselves and those who don't. In fact, I allowed you to call an anonymous someone a "coward," while I deleted an anonymous post in response.

If all readers and commenters keep a sense of protocol in mind, it's acceptable to offer differences of opinion. Let's do this without name-calling and false accusations. Thanks again, Bob, for reading. I appreciate your comments and contributions.

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As an addendum, I would add that while we cannot monitor everything on the World Wide Web, we certainly would delete comments suggesting that the only locally owned newspaper in Highland County be burned down. Yes, Bob, that was said about us in November 2011 on a "citizens to elect" someone as mayor website.

Let's quote from the Facebook posting by a Callan Pierce – which may or may not be a cool pseudonym. Here is what he/she wrote last November about the county's ONLY locally owned newspaper just after the 2011 mayoral election: "Let's knock down their doors and burn their building." (See attached photo.)

Any comments on that, Bob? Now, that is, indeed, a cowardly act. But such threats really do make me all the more appreciative of the quality people at the Hillsboro Fire Department.

My family, friends and co-workers spend a lot of time in this building, so you can imagine my concern when someone encourages an arson attack. Even if said in jest, it's not funny. If anyone has the guts to say that to my face, I won't call 'em a coward, but I will call 'em out. Believe it. (It's an open invitation.)

I started working in Hillsboro full-time in the summer of 1970. I'll take my chances with the comedy crew.

One last thing, Bob, I thought your GOBA introduction of emcee Pat Hays of WVNU was very good. Mentioning that he is a local owner of a local medium and does not answer to "New York" – or Philadelphia, for that matter – was most appropriate in encouraging the county's "shop local" initiative. Good work.

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Now, for a little fun.

This morning, I saw an Associated Press photo of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and U.S. House Speaker John Boehner at a campaign stop in Troy, Ohio.

I can't tell you anything any of them said.

I can tell you what they were wearing – and, just for the record, I rarely notice such things.

Here's the best description of the AP photo I can muster:

• In the center, with wireless microphone, we have Mitt, wearing blue jeans and a long-sleeve, checkered dress shirt (sleeves rolled back just past his wristwatch).

• To his right is the estimable statesman Sen. Portman, wearing a light-colored dress shirt and blue jeans (with buttoned sleeves).

• To Mitt's left is Rep. Boehner, wearing a blue dress shirt with sleeves rolled above the elbows.

With all due respect, they looked like three peas in a Republican pod.

It never ceases to amaze me how politicians always dress alike at every campaign stop.

If I had to cover that event in Troy and had shown up in blue jeans, they'd all be in suits. And if I'd shown up in my best suit (the one Craig will probably bury me in after he cuts out the back), with my luck, they'd be in blue jeans.

How do these politicians coordinate this?

Can't you just imagine the pre-event communications:

Mitt: Yo, Rob and JB, let's all wear Levi's to this thing in Troy. Or are Wranglers more American? Whaddya think?

Rob: Governor Romney, how about a tweed jacket, too, so we aren't too casual?

JB: I'm wearing short sleeves, because I've been working on my tan.

Mitt: Wranglers and dress shirts. Sports coats optional.

Rob: Ties? I have a reputation you know. Besides, folks in southern Ohio have been Googling "Rob Portman and chicken call" a lot lately.

JB: In TROY!? No one wears a tie in Troy. This is a blue-collar town.

Mitt: How about Dockers and a golf shirt? That's a good Sunday afternoon look.

Rob: I've already put my Levis on.

JB: Can I wear a short-sleeve golf shirt? My arms are tanned.

Mitt: Hold on, I'm getting a tweet that Lee jeans are the way to go. Pro-union. Not imported from Vietnam.

JB: Can I wear shorts? My legs are tanned, too.

RP: I'll give $500 to the campaign if I can stay home. OK, make it a grand.

Mitt: What about our hair? We need to look seasoned and mature, but not old.

JB: Maybe you need to campaign in Hillsboro. It's all about the hair.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press. THE local newspaper.