In light of the Ukrainian and Russian situation, it seems more than necessary to affirm democracy, and to do so, it is necessary to support local newspaper reporting and journalism. Freedom of the press is one of the pillars of democracy, and I am appalled to learn that a number of big conglomerates buy up newspapers with money as their bottom line of interest. Even CBS’s liberal “60’s Minutes” devoted a segment to the subject of diminishing newspaper and reporting coverage. In our age of social media and wireless phones, it is hard to know what really happens when, where, and why.
I swim laps regularly. It helps me to alleviate the routine of the exercise as I swim by mentally repeating the Gettysburg Address or some other declaration. One of the hymns I often repeat in my mind is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” which is indeed something our Founding Fathers had to believe in order to establish this country of ours. May it endure.
One way democracy works is for people to subscribe and read their local newspapers. Even more so is that they send their concerns, interests, or observations to the Letters to the Editor section. From time to time, I do so, having learned from my father that letters can be helpful. When I was a mere youngster, I was astonished to learn that my father had the audacity to write to the President of the United States. (Of course this was long before the internet.) I had no idea at that time that anyone would dare to do so. As I grew older, I became more aware that such things might be considered normal. At any rate, my last letter to the editor was not about politics, democracy, or even the Ukrainian- Russian situation. It simply was an announcement about a play written by a friend of mine.
Ruth Tyndall Baker has had success. One of her plays Women Unbound is being produced in Fort Wayne this month based on the lives of the accomplished Hamilton sisters – Edith, Alice, and Margaret. The characters are tinged by desire, and Baker’s play is based on history and in no way boring. Alice was one of the earliest women to earn a medical degree and the first woman to join the faculty at Harvard. Edith’s accomplishments include her book Mythology, a classic still used today. Baker’s in-depth research and deft dialogue is impressive. Actresses Kate Black, Nancy Kartholl, Sarah Hodgin, and Robin Delaughter, under the direction of Thom Hofrichter well- known in northeast Indiana for theatre excellence, bring the play’s story alive. I felt people in this area should know about it.
Most letters to the editor have to do with endorsements of political candidates or local issues, but recently one took my eye. It was written by someone affirming the value of local newspapers. If I had that person’s permission, I would mention her name, but since it was a published letter, I simply will quote a few sentences. This person from Florida wrote, “Your newspaper is the best! So informative for people of all ages and backgrounds. You report the news and not political v. personal opinions---just the facts. Congratulations, that is exceedingly rare!”
Especially in light of today’s tragic war, it is not only important but urgent that we get the facts about our world community. Our way of life depends on knowing our history and our values.
I swim laps regularly. It helps me to alleviate the routine of the exercise as I swim by mentally repeating the Gettysburg Address or some other declaration. One of the hymns I often repeat in my mind is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” which is indeed something our Founding Fathers had to believe in order to establish this country of ours. May it endure.
One way democracy works is for people to subscribe and read their local newspapers. Even more so is that they send their concerns, interests, or observations to the Letters to the Editor section. From time to time, I do so, having learned from my father that letters can be helpful. When I was a mere youngster, I was astonished to learn that my father had the audacity to write to the President of the United States. (Of course this was long before the internet.) I had no idea at that time that anyone would dare to do so. As I grew older, I became more aware that such things might be considered normal. At any rate, my last letter to the editor was not about politics, democracy, or even the Ukrainian- Russian situation. It simply was an announcement about a play written by a friend of mine.
Ruth Tyndall Baker has had success. One of her plays Women Unbound is being produced in Fort Wayne this month based on the lives of the accomplished Hamilton sisters – Edith, Alice, and Margaret. The characters are tinged by desire, and Baker’s play is based on history and in no way boring. Alice was one of the earliest women to earn a medical degree and the first woman to join the faculty at Harvard. Edith’s accomplishments include her book Mythology, a classic still used today. Baker’s in-depth research and deft dialogue is impressive. Actresses Kate Black, Nancy Kartholl, Sarah Hodgin, and Robin Delaughter, under the direction of Thom Hofrichter well- known in northeast Indiana for theatre excellence, bring the play’s story alive. I felt people in this area should know about it.
Most letters to the editor have to do with endorsements of political candidates or local issues, but recently one took my eye. It was written by someone affirming the value of local newspapers. If I had that person’s permission, I would mention her name, but since it was a published letter, I simply will quote a few sentences. This person from Florida wrote, “Your newspaper is the best! So informative for people of all ages and backgrounds. You report the news and not political v. personal opinions---just the facts. Congratulations, that is exceedingly rare!”
Especially in light of today’s tragic war, it is not only important but urgent that we get the facts about our world community. Our way of life depends on knowing our history and our values.
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