| OPINION AND COMMENT
By Bob Weaver
America once was a nation of local independent newspapers, whose editors and writers had the option of independent
reporting.
None was better in the last century than Pulitzer-Prize winner William Allen White, the editor of the Emporia Gazette. His
"Letter to an Anxious Friend" follows my own ramblings. Please take time to read what he said in 1923.
A friend said this week, referring to residents of West Virginia (maybe all Americans) "We have the attention span of a Nat,"
but if we didn't, we might be hard pressed to obtain news and information upon which good judgments could be made.
You must seek it out, for little of it will be given to you by mainstream media.
The need for divergent views, grass-root voices - not the "talking heads," government press releases, seven-second clips or
the 24-hour brain-washing tactics of TV news channels, that keep their messages simple, repeat them often and make them
burn. It is frightening, at least to me.
The war with Iraq has a powerful and appealing voice, but the "unpatriotic" view of those who do not believe in this war,
except if it would be absolutely necessary, is distant and discounted. The "Patriot Act" against terrorism, just passed by
Congress, has a powerful and appealing voice, with little dissent about the watering down of our precious civil liberties, those
rights for which we "fight."
The "Patriot Act" was much like naming guided missiles "Peacemakers." How can we disagree?
Ignorance (lack of information) and oppression, long the breeding ground that betrays the American dream, is driven by "it
doesn't matter" or "what I think doesn't count," followed by inaction and not voting.
Not caring is the death of liberty, freedom and democracy.
Unfortunately, here in the hills of West Virginia, not caring has become the norm. You can't get enough folks to have a
quarrel at a political meeting, virtually no one turns out to public meetings and greater numbers do not go to the polls.
A former state official and one-time candidate for governor told me many years ago, the "secret" to political control in West
Virginia is keep them (the citizens) sufficiently '------ off', whining among themselves and away from the polls. We can then
have our way."
"Make them fearful of speaking out," he said. "Keep telling them what they want to hear and never talk about the real issues."
He further said "Be sure and make them think they'll lose their job."
Most of West Virginia's daily newspapers, radio and TV outlets have become warmly formatted, rarely delving into issues
which affect the lives of the people they serve. Occasionally, they have a lurch.
There are exceptions, like The Gazette and Daily Mail, but that may soon change if the operations are purchased by John
Raese's newspaper and media chain, whose policy is "to be more positive and business friendly." Translated, that means
smoothly gliding over the issues of every day life, the mistakes of politicians, corporate business and power holders.
I took a step-back to consider the outcome of last year's Associated Press survey of openness and disclosure in the State of
West Virginia with public officials and public agencies. Even using the state's Freedom of Information Act, it was difficult to
obtain basic public information, they found.
How few stand up for disclosure and openness.
Many people proclaim the need for expression of divergent views, but when views are not appealing, they decry their
expression.
There must be hope in this giant, often out-of-control mess called the internet, the opportunity to communicate news,
information and ideas
The flaw must be, who will speak for you if you do not speak for yourself.
Please read on, words from a an earlier generation.
To An Anxious Friend From William Allen White, Emporia, Kansas
This editorial won a Pulitzer Prize in 1923
You tell me that law is above freedom of utterance And I reply that you can have no wise laws nor free enforcement of wise
laws unless there is free expression of the wisdom of the people - and, alas, their folly with it.
But if there is freedom, folly will die of its own poison, and the wisdom will survive. That is the history of the race. It is the
proof of man's kinship with God.
You say that freedom of utterance is not for time of stress, and I reply with the sad truth that only in time of stress is freedom
of utterance in danger.
No one questions it in calm days, because it is not needed. And the reverse is true also; only when free utterance is
suppressed is it needed, and when it is needed, it is most vital to justice.
Peace is good. But if you are interested in peace through force and without full discussion - that is to say, free utterance
decently and in order - your interest in justice is slight. And peace without justice is tyranny, no matter how you may
sugar-coat it with expediency.
This state today is in more danger from suppression than from violence, because, in the end, suppression leads to violence.
Violence, indeed, is the child of suppression. Whoever pleads for justice helps to keep the peace; and whoever tramples
upon the plea for justice temperately made in the name of peace only outrages peace and kills something fine in the heart of
man, which God put there when we got our manhood. When that is killed, brute meets brute on each side of the line.
So, dear friend, put fear out of your heart. This nation will survive, this state will prosper, the orderly business of life will go
forward if only men can speak in whatever way given them to utter what their hearts hold - by voice, by posted card, by
letter or by press. Reason never has failed men. Only force and repression have made the wrecks in the world. - William
Allen White, 1923
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