I’m one of those people who likes to ease into the day, a sip of coffee at a time.

The day often begins with a peep at the inbox for letters to the editor, which arrive at all hours.

Somewhere in Delray Beach, a woman can’t sleep, so she goes to her keyboard at 3 a.m. and writes a letter to us — and to all of you — about what’s on her mind. We get it instantly, and more likely than not, it will be online and in the paper in a matter of days.

What’s on her mind is usually Donald Trump. Far more letters are about him than any other topic. In fact, nothing else comes close.

As Trump dominates every hour of every news cycle, more and more readers become increasingly alarmed by his actions. Trump has dug a dark hole in the collective psyche of America.

We are not the same, but we must remain vigilant in holding him accountable and be unwavering in our belief that life does not have to be this way. Remember that protecting democracy is not someone else’s responsibility. It belongs to all of us.

Steve Bousquet, South Florida Sun Sentinel columnist.

The Sun Sentinel has many strong-minded and highly opinionated readers.

Those who still read a physical daily newspaper tend to be much older, and in Broward and Palm Beach counties, they also tend to be more liberal in their views.

That is reflected vividly in our letters to the editor, or LTEs as they are known in newsrooms.

What you see on these pages is an accurate reflection of what arrives in our digital mailbag, though a small minority of readers refuses to believe that.

A well-argued letter defending Trump is almost certain to get published because of two reasons: We don’t get many of them, and we know that publishing it will surely stir many other readers to write in, continuing the conversation in our pages.

The best letters contain a little wit or sarcasm and they stick to a single point. Pick a single, specific topic, bore in deeply, and keep it concise. “Write tight” is a cliché that can be heard in every newsroom in America, and it certainly applies to all of you, too, when you write to us.

You don’t need the writing skills of Hemingway. Write it. Then read it. Then read it again. Get rid of words that are not essential.

We edit letters to make them tighter while striving to retain every opinion and idea. That way, we have room for more letters. The tighter the better.

Just the other day, a reader asked why a painted rainbow crosswalk is too political, yet why is it all right for the state to name a road in Palm Beach County for Trump (oops, there we go again). The point was made in one sentence. Well done.

It’s impossible for us to reply personally to every letter. If we did not publish a letter you sent, it is likely because we received other letters on the same subject and we judged those to be slightly better. Or perhaps we already ran a letter or two on the same topic recently.

It is not because we don’t agree with your opinion. That has nothing to do with it.

We like disagreement. It stimulates thought. As regular letters readers will know, we recently published a series of letters from readers who did not like the revisions we made to the digital edition. Your criticism of us will be published by us. Any topic is welcome.

Some letters begin: “I know you’ll never print this, but … ” That’s often a surefire way for it to be published.

On rare occasion, letters arrive laced with F-bombs or other obscenities, as one did on Saturday morning. Those likely will go to the trash can.

Some letters will assail us for being too “one-sided” or “biased.” But if you scan the top of the page, you’ll see the word “Opinion” in very large black letters.

Letters to the editor have been a fixture in American newspapers since the 18th Century.

You all know how much stress newspapers are facing, but letters remain one of our most enduring features, and they are well-read for a very simple reason.

People still care what other people think.

Steve Bousquet is Opinion Editor of the Sun Sentinel and a columnist in Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale. Write to him at sbousquet@sunsentinel.com or (850) 567-2240 and follow him on X @stevebousquet.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/08/30/why-we-ran-that-letter-and-why-we-didnt-steve-bousquet/