CrowMac Creek Op-Eds

            Though I have been unable to get back to CrowMac Creek, The CrowMac Creek Chronicle has been running in high gear. With everything that is happening in politics, a newspaper must meet a host of challenges, acquiring new, fresh and honest news, writing articles, editing, printing and
delivery.
            Howard certainly has his hands full, so he asked Michael Kangi, his US and regional reporter, and Isaiah Renkin, the local writer into his office.
      Michael, Isaiah, come in here for a minute.
            The reporters walked cautiously into the office, and Howard motioned to close the door. Isaiah and Michael took the two chairs in front of the desk and waited nervously. Howard took the time to give each reporter a two second glare and began.
      “What do you think of our news lately?
      This was obviously a rhetorical question, so the reporters waited for Howard.
      “Do you think what you write is as good as the Phoenix Gazette reporters?”
      “Our stories are usually pretty good, Boss. As good as any newspaper.”
             Howard studied each reporter and frowned. “That’s what I thought you’d say, and you are right. Have you any idea what is happening to newspapers, nation wide?” Profitable newspapers are seeking new methods of distributing quality news.
      Both Michael and Isaiah nodded in agreement.
          “We need to become an online news and information provider. We can’t become online only because we will lose our advertisers as well as those readers who are accustomed to having a paper delivered to their driveways each morning. They enjoy the feel of the paper and the smell of ink. They are not texting and taking selfies. They read the paper and watch the news We need to continue with delivering these newspapers but we need to up our game. Most vital is that we come up with a news format where we print the news, and op-eds based upon facts. As Linda Taylor said, we need to look at what is happening from multiple perspectives, and if we can find that approach, we will deliver something fresh; something new.
“So, what do you suggest?” Isaiah inquired.
“Here’s where we’ll start. As you know, this country has bifurcated with one population, supporting the president, and the other against. Neither group is communicating with the other. We need to begin pulling these two polarized populations back together for discussion. Politicians on both sides of any issue are resorting to the use of propaganda. We need to teach the average reader the value of dialogue. So each of you will be responsible for two op-eds a week based upon two news articles. Isaiah, you will write for the conservative, pro-president readers, and Michael, you will write for the progressives. Now listen to my words. I want you to base your position on facts, nothing but facts. Do not use the work of other network’s reporting without verification. And don’t steal anyone’s work.
Michael Kangi frowned and shook is head. He had a negative and visceral response to the division he’d been seeing in the United States. He had witnessed many town halls and was fearful of what he was seeing. It was odd to see a person who had the ability to unify a rowdy crowd and promote such hatred simply by the  mentioning of a name. Michael wanted none of this.
Michael had seen this before. Fifteen years ago he’d escaped Sudan where he had been torn from his home and family by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. He was forced to fight for his life in countless battles. He lost his family in the revolution, and with nothing left, he escaped Sudan to find freedom in the United States. Now he was truly fearful that the nation would lose the freedom that had drawn him to the U.S.and he prayed that he wouldn’t have to move his family to safety. He would not allow his children to live the life he’d lived.