A recent letter from reader Michael Bacon (Thoughtful conservative voices rare on op-ed page,” Sept. 29) asked for more conservative columnists to voice their opinions in your paper, saying of society’s problems “it would show that they care, too.”

Here’s one reason they don’t. A few weeks ago, my letter in favor of former Governor Paul LePage appeared on your Opinion page (“Coverage of campaign event unfair to LePage,” Aug. 20). The vile and hateful online comments directed at me in response to my letter, numbering in the hundreds, cured me of ever voicing my political opinion anywhere again – except perhaps to my cat in the privacy of my own home.

Andrea Rouda
Freeport