Thank You For Reading

 “People say, ‘Why do you go through so much trouble to offend people?’ And I say, ‘It’s no trouble.’” – Comedian Ricky Gervais

I try to be a good boy. I really do. When I sit down to write, I honestly don’t go out of my way to offend people. Nevertheless, it seems that the old adage is true: You can’t make everyone happy.

 

Since I resumed my career as a columnist in March, I have largely avoided writing about controversial topics. There have been a few occasions, however, when I felt so passionately about subjects that I felt compelled to write about them, at the risk of causing some readers to take exception with my views.

Recently, a loyal reader expressed his displeasure with a piece I wrote about the Bill of Rights. He said that months ago I had made a commitment to quit politicizing my columns and to “quit criticizing and denigrating his and OUR President, Donald John Trump.” Initially, I felt guilty. Had I really broken a promise to you, my readers? If so, then I indeed deserved to be called out for such an egregious act.

I decided to go back and re-read what I had written all those months ago in my comeback column entitled “United We Stand”. Here is what I said:

 

“The reason I decided to resume my career as a writer for the Journal is because I want to help bridge the divide in our community. I want to use my column as a way to bring people together. I want to uplift people. I want to do whatever I can to make our small corner of the world a better place.

“Shouldn’t that be the case for all of us? For the sake of our children and our children’s children, can’t we all come together to ensure that the Ashland area continues to be a great place to live and raise a family? I’m not naïve. I recognize that there are some difficult issues confronting our community right now. But if we work with one another instead of against each other, our odds of solving our problems increase dramatically. United we stand, divided we fall. The choice is ours.

“I choose to be someone who unites. I choose to be someone who writes. I choose to write for the Boone County Journal. Thanks for having me back, Gene.”

Did I promise to refrain from criticizing the president? Absolutely not. The column I wrote two weeks ago about the importance of defending the First Amendment is a perfect example of why I would never promise to refrain from criticizing the president. It is my duty as an American citizen and an opinion columnist to shine light on injustice—especially if that injustice is being committed by the POTUS. 

I did commit to helping bridge the divide in our community, however. It is fair to hold me accountable for keeping that promise. In the months since my column returned to the Journal, I have written about the joys of teaching young people, about heroes working on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19, about mental health awareness, about the amazing teachers I work with in Southern Boone County, about the healing power of art, about the SoBoCo community in general, and about family. 

I’ve also written about white privilege, civil rights, and the president. Whenever I write about these subjects, I endeavor to avoid personally attacking anyone in particular. If I touch an occasional nerve, so be it. Honest opinion writing will make readers uncomfortable at times. Honest opinion writing will offend people now and then. Honest opinion writing will rarely make everyone happy.

I really do try to be one who unites, rather than divides, people in our community. When I point out injustices, it is my intention to unite people against those injustices. Can I do a better job of bringing people together? Most definitely.

I promise that I will never stop trying to improve myself as a writer, as a member of the Southern Boone community, and as a human being. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my weekly musings and for holding me accountable.