Posted 1:42 PM by Floyd

The San Jose Mercury News -- the "Newspaper of Silicon Valley", though it can't figure out how to make a web site that works worth a shit -- has a special Opinion page feature on Saturdays: It publishes letters from children. In this special letters section the correspondent's name, age, and school is given.

Now I like kids, and plan to have some, and when there are TV or newspaper articles on "the things kids say", I am just as capable of saying "that's cute" as the next person. But I see no reason to have a newspaper publish letters from children specifically to air their opinions. The resulting product usually falls into two categories: brown-nosing and ill-informed environmentalism. Here are two examples from today's opinion page, with names redacted to protect the underaged:

HERE is a round of applause for Nancy Pelosi, who will become the highest-ranking woman in the U.S. Congress. Thanks go to her and other women who led the way into this new era. Because of them, females are now rivaling males, showing they are equal in mental capabilities.

Gender bias is slowly fading away as more women show their faces in areas traditionally blocked to women. Thanks to these women, my generation has new doors to open and possibilities to experience. We have a new role in society that is yet to be defined.

With the possibilities growing, I am hoping that in the near future there will be a woman president. A girl can dream, can't she?

"Jane Doe", 15
Henry M. Gunn High School
Palo Alto

YOU may live miles from San Francisco Bay and still be polluting its waters. Adults might think chemicals are fantastic, but they aren't. They are the source of water pollution.

Every time you pollute the bay you're harming the wildlife. You are also polluting the beaches. The next time you wash your car or take a bath, check to see if you're using too much soap.

Are you willing to help? It's your choice, you're in control. You're the solution to water pollution.

"John Smith", 9
G.W. Hellyer Elementary School
San Jose

By the way, Joanne Jacobs has discussed whether political speech by children in other contexts was really written by the children, or written for them by their parent or teacher. I have no opinion about the San Jose Mercury News letters. It's possible that these letters are written in classrooms, and the teacher gives suggestions about the subject matter.