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A better future

It has been years since I lived in the Atlanta area. After leaving my home of 20 years, I made a stop on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, a few brief months in Los Angeles, several years in Phoenix and Tucson and Þnally back to Georgia, in Jefferson County just southwest of Augusta. It was in the idyllic setting of rural Georgia that, six years ago, I Þrst began writing for a newspaper. And now, I’ve returned where I started. This next phase of my life will be spent in the area that you call home, writing for this newspaper.

Over the years I’ve discovered a lot of things that helped me make a little sense of the world. Other things, however, needed no experienced-based discovery because they were already present in my mind and in my heart. Things like the protection of our fundamental rights as Americans, the responsibility of the people to understand their world and the responsibility of the media to adequately and accurately keep citizens informed are not only important, they are increasingly critical components of life today. I should add that I entered journalism with a healthy skepticism of “the media.” For multiple reasons, that skepticism has not waned.

One of the things I’ve known all along but came to recognize and appreciate more vividly since I began covering the news is that the average citizen is not always aware of many of the circumstances, especially the local circumstances, that directly impact their lives. Even more negatively impacting for families and communities is the reality that most citizens believe that they cannot exert any relevant influence over those conditions, hence the old adage, the old belief that “You can’t fight city hall.” That belief is not only misplaced, it is born in a mentality of defeat and fostered by some individuals in the various Halls of Power that would prefer that the public stay out of sight and out of mind.

Some in elected office are a credit to the people that put them there. They are responsive and accountable to the people. They are to be commended. Yet historically in America, others undergo a mysterious transformation after you elect them. They said, “vote for me, I’ll work for you.” But shortly after getting into office they develop the “just leave me alone and let me do my job” syndrome. In its various manifestations, this technique is symptomatic of a worldview that shuts down all but the most ardent and persistent citizens. The result is that most public input/participation is neutralized, the politico-economic status quo is maintained and the myth that the average citizen can have no positive impact on his/her circumstances is perpetuated. Thus, it is the politics of apathy and naiveté that makes the average citizen the underdog in any society.

So just where do the people and the press fit into the scheme of things? I believe that the First Amendment is the lynchpin of our freedom. Subsequently, my coverage of the events of these communities will reflect this belief. The things I cover on the front page are intended to be a fact-based accounting of those events. My opinions will be contained where they belong, in this column. My beliefs are strong, my opinions are no less.

The positive future of any community is contingent upon the informed consent and willing participation of its citizens. Destiny waits, time doesn’t. Thus, I believe it is the privilege of your newspaper to participate as an active partner with all citizens in the creation of a better future.