editorial: Our name is not yours to borrow

It seems we've become unexpectedly popular in local mailboxes lately — though not by our choice. A political action committee supporting Prop 1 has taken the liberty of borrowing our name and logo for its campaign materials, creating mailers that could easily be mistaken as something we paid for and mailed to you.

We're flattered, really. It's nice to know we have a reputation that makes some political groups want to dress up in our newspaper's clothes. But as any kindergartner can tell you, borrowing without asking isn't nice. And borrowing someone's identity to influence an election? That's several steps beyond taking someone’s favorite toy.

To be crystal clear: The Press does not appreciate having its reputation used by someone else. Our credibility is not a costume you can put on when convenient. Our readers' trust, built over decades, is not a prop for your political theater.

We've sent the PAC, Idahoans for Open Primaries, a cease and desist letter, though we would have preferred to simply teach them the difference between "yours" and "ours" — apparently a concept as confusing to political operatives as it is to toddlers.

This isn't just about us. It's about your right to make informed decisions, and that means knowing who is advocating for what. When political groups blur these lines by misappropriating newspaper mastheads and logos, they're undermining the very democratic process they claim to champion.

To our readers: We trust you to recognize this impersonation for what it is. And to the PAC: Next time you want to make a point, put your own name on it.

We do it every single day.