Headline from NY Times article by Manny Fernandez, Dec. 26, 2016: "An Oklahoma Newspaper Endorsed Clinton. It Hasn’t Been Forgiven." The article is not reprinted here, but the entire article can be read by clicking on this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/26/us/oklahoma-newspaper-hillary-clinton-endorsement.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0
The Enid News and Eagle newspaper endorsed Clinton. It hasn't been forgiven. A 730 word editorial caused quite an uproar in small-town America, revealed the extraordinary divisions exposed in this election and the surprising ways in today’s digital media age that newspaper endorsements still have the power to generate a reaction, even if they don’t necessarily change people’s votes. According to the NY Times article, the Enid newspaper has lost many subscriptions and advertisers because of the editorial. "I hope people can respect that we’re entitled to our opinion, too, and that that can be different from news,” said Rob Collins, the executive editor of The Enid News & Eagle."
One comment from a facebook friend: "People seem to forget that, just because you live in a "blue county" or a "red county" or a "blue state" or a "red state", that doesn't mean that everyone shares the same beliefs and opinions. Even if one party wins more often than the other, it is still that party's duty to represent the electorate at large, not just its own members. If you vote leaders into office expecting that those leaders will do everything you want, despite what the electorate wants, then you aren't voting for an American democracy."
Kudos to the Enid editor for printing their editorial opinion. Every American has the right to express their opinion, and when we act out of fear of reprisals, personal, financial, physical, we are giving in to the fear tactics that demagoques and dictators use as weapons against a free America. Even though OK is considered a "red state" doesn't mean that every person here supported or voted for Trump. Long ago I adopted a kind of slogan (from a quote by Thomas Jefferson) that represented a truth to me): WHEN TYRANNY BECOMES LAW, RESISTANCE BECOMES DUTY. As free-thinking Americans, we each have the right to believe what we want to believe, but we don't have the moral right to insist that another person with a different point of view be forced to agree with another's point of view, or to squelch another person's expression of their belief through threats and intimidation. So much of our media has already given in to threats by advertisers which severely restricts true and complete information the public receives. We've seen it in our own local newspaper, though no one wants to admit or talk about that. Cancelling subscriptions only serves to limit the possibility of that person getting true and correct information. My policy is to get information from many sources, not just the ones who broadcast and distribute information that I want to believe. I'd love to see this post SHARED.
One of the earmarks of our democracy is our right to free speech. Editorials like the one in the Enid News should serve to open civil discussion among people with differing opinions and not be used as a weapon against free speech.
/Linda
The Enid News and Eagle newspaper endorsed Clinton. It hasn't been forgiven. A 730 word editorial caused quite an uproar in small-town America, revealed the extraordinary divisions exposed in this election and the surprising ways in today’s digital media age that newspaper endorsements still have the power to generate a reaction, even if they don’t necessarily change people’s votes. According to the NY Times article, the Enid newspaper has lost many subscriptions and advertisers because of the editorial. "I hope people can respect that we’re entitled to our opinion, too, and that that can be different from news,” said Rob Collins, the executive editor of The Enid News & Eagle."
One comment from a facebook friend: "People seem to forget that, just because you live in a "blue county" or a "red county" or a "blue state" or a "red state", that doesn't mean that everyone shares the same beliefs and opinions. Even if one party wins more often than the other, it is still that party's duty to represent the electorate at large, not just its own members. If you vote leaders into office expecting that those leaders will do everything you want, despite what the electorate wants, then you aren't voting for an American democracy."
Kudos to the Enid editor for printing their editorial opinion. Every American has the right to express their opinion, and when we act out of fear of reprisals, personal, financial, physical, we are giving in to the fear tactics that demagoques and dictators use as weapons against a free America. Even though OK is considered a "red state" doesn't mean that every person here supported or voted for Trump. Long ago I adopted a kind of slogan (from a quote by Thomas Jefferson) that represented a truth to me): WHEN TYRANNY BECOMES LAW, RESISTANCE BECOMES DUTY. As free-thinking Americans, we each have the right to believe what we want to believe, but we don't have the moral right to insist that another person with a different point of view be forced to agree with another's point of view, or to squelch another person's expression of their belief through threats and intimidation. So much of our media has already given in to threats by advertisers which severely restricts true and complete information the public receives. We've seen it in our own local newspaper, though no one wants to admit or talk about that. Cancelling subscriptions only serves to limit the possibility of that person getting true and correct information. My policy is to get information from many sources, not just the ones who broadcast and distribute information that I want to believe. I'd love to see this post SHARED.
One of the earmarks of our democracy is our right to free speech. Editorials like the one in the Enid News should serve to open civil discussion among people with differing opinions and not be used as a weapon against free speech.
/Linda
No comments:
Post a Comment