Don't duck if you have something to say

There's little more vexing for an editor than listening to critics complain about one-sided letters and guest columns, then refusing to speak up themselves.

The opinion pages of the community newspaper are a democratic forum, or at least should be. But like all things democratic, responsibility is at least as important as freedom.

Citizens have a responsibility to vote, though too often they don't. I'd argue we have other civic responsibilities, as well, and that the strength of a community relies directly on how well we honor those.

The thread in all cases is contributing to something larger than our individual selves. That's the key.

These all are measures of a community:

n Raising our kids right.

n Volunteering now and again.

n Spending more of our dollars locally.

n Keeping up with local issues and events.

No short cuts in that list. Each matters greatly, starting with our children, of course.

I say this as somewhat of a connoisseur, having covered communities from Southern California to upstate New York, the Midwest and the Rockies, small and large, rich and poor, tight and flying apart.

The stronger ones do tend to engage the most with the paper, understand how buying locally is also an investment in their own, help one another in a variety of ways, and keep their focus on the children, the future.

These places are more fun, too, and I'm sure not just for the newspaper people.

Still, in each of my stops and especially the smaller ones, there's the timid establishment, quick to upbraid the editor in private for letting in so much of the "wrong" views yet unwilling to step up themselves.

Why not? Many are afraid they might lose business.

Most don't like the thought of the criticism they might face. Some perceive the paper as somehow having too much power if everyone participates. Some think such communicating is beneath them; it's not.

So they leave too much of the field to the gripers, the cranks and the advocates, all the while fuming about the ink these folks command.

Certainly the paper bears responsibility to keep its pages from being hijacked entirely while providing a fair and open forum for all points of view. Typically, that means rules on length and how many times letters will be accepted for publication in a month from the same author, as well as a keen eye on potential libel.

Even so, the timid will give way to opposing views for failing to speak up themselves when they have a fair opportunity to do so. That's not the paper's fault. Frankly, that's a failure of civic leadership.

My own hide no doubt has grown too thick. And I don't take critics personally even when they mean it personally. But I've found over the years that far more people will tell you how much they appreciate you speaking up than those who will tear at your opinions or at you for having such.

The paper, of course, risks its business as much or more than anyone by providing an open, democratic forum for opinion and by expressing its viewpoints.

This is at least a tier down from my big four factors for measuring the strength of a community. But I'd argue that it is important for leaders to understand they have a duty to speak up on occasion, and show the courage to do so for the sake of their community.

Along with freedom of speech there's responsibility to speak. That's what makes our odd concept of democracy so powerful. I hate to see people give that up so easily.

Especially when they actually have something to say.

n Don Rogers, publisher of The Record-Courier, can be reached at drogers@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 208.