Reaching into the old mailbag - Kathy Jefcoats

As a staunch defender of the First Amendment, I encourage anyone to express their opinion about whatever they want, which is why I enjoy hearing from readers. I don't care if they agree or disagree with what I have written, be it in this column or in an article. The most important point is that they are reading the newspaper and becoming more informed citizens, and exercising their own freedom of speech rights.

The reporters on staff at the News Daily and Daily Herald are required to write a weekly column. We can write about most any topic but aren't allowed to cover issues we encounter on our beats because we have to be objective and cannot show bias. That sort of limits me because I love to write about crime, the court system and law enforcement. I have a minor in criminology and have covered cops and courts for 15 years in Georgia and South Carolina. It is my "off duty" hobby, a lifelong passion and favorite topic of mine in books, magazines, movies and television.