By the time you read this, I will have worked my last day as managing editor for The Independent. While I look forward to my next adventure, a new opportunity that will afford me more time and mental energy to focus once again on my creative endeavors, it is certainly with a degree of sadness that I step down from the Indy.
While I haven’t agreed with every publishing decision we’ve made — and yes, made some missteps of my own — it was still a valuable experience with a media outlet that deserves a place in southern Utah.
However, not everyone would agree with me on that last part. Even worse, some in southern Utah have gone so far as to attempt to actually shut down The Independent because we expressed views contrary to the majority.
While I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, I do take issue with trying to silence the minority.
During my tenure, I can say that I have rarely put my foot down on running pieces submitted to us. So long as articles haven’t been intentionally malicious or hurtful, I’ve run them for the most part (but again, my decision making hasn’t always been infallible in this sense — ahem, Undiegate). The times I haven’t run a piece weren’t based simply on my personal opinions — sometimes I even went against my personal opinions — but rather on what I understood to be the mission and best interests of The Independent.
Having said that, I recognize there are still certain perceptions and speculations about The Independent’s agenda, especially if one peruses the opinion page. But it’s not for lack of trying. Readers are regularly encouraged to respond via letters to the editor, and again, unless they’ve been slanderous or malicious, we’ve published pretty much every letter we’ve received from local residents. But I could probably count on one hand how many letters I’ve seen in the past several months. Most critics would rather take swipes from the safety of a Facebook comment.
We’ve also put out the call to the local chambers of commerce, inviting members to submit opinion pieces, even if — and I daresay especially if — they differ from our perceived agenda. But like writing a letter to the editor for publication, submitting a regular opinion column to be judged by readers takes cojones. And maybe some business members believe that to be a risky venture, even if they are disagreeing with The Indy’s said perceived agenda.
This would appear to be the position taken by a recent Facebook commenter which I found particularly disheartening. They wrote the following on our Facebook post for one of our coupons: “I just don’t understand why any local business owner would advertise with such a leftist rag as the “independent.” they prove daily how much they hate private business and capitalism.”
Had this person stopped there, I would’ve been okay. It’s harsh — and I would disagree with the statement — but he’s entitled to his opinion. However, he went on to also comment on a completely different article, an opinion piece that was actually posted later in the day, meaning he had seen the later post and decided to go back and post his little rant on the coupon instead of the post for the opinion piece.
You might ask why he would do that. It’s very clear to me. He was intentionally trying to not only discourage people who might see the coupon but also advertisers, to draw attention to an opinion contrary to his appearing in another piece of our content, just in case anyone who saw the coupon wasn’t familiar with The Indy. Besides just disagreeing with the opinion — and saying so in the appropriate venue — he was attempting to undermine the ability of The Independent to make advertising revenue.
That’s what really got me riled up. To choose not to support a business is one thing, but to actively work towards sabotaging a business just because they happen to have different political or religious viewpoints than your own is something else entirely.
He wonders why someone would advertise with The Independent? First, the easy part. Most advertisers know it’s good business to offer your services to pretty much everyone.
And liberals are notorious for spending money, right?
So is this person saying that southern Utah businesses shouldn’t offer this coupon to everyone, that they should deny some people the right to be served, or at least not offer the same deals to “outsiders”? Hmm. Why does that type of behavior sound familiar to me?
Much as some people wish differently, there’s not a wall around Utah to keep out all the “undesirables.”
So for those who agree with some alternative-to-Utah viewpoints — even if they are forever the minority — The Independent provides a voice that might otherwise be silent in many other publications. And for those who disagree, take comfort that The Independent provides this voice of opposition. I think the best way to defeat an opponent is to really know their arguments. Or as longtime opinion contributor Dallas Hyland has said in a less combative sense (in an unusual role reversal for the two of us), it can at least incite a rigorous dialogue. That’s still a good thing, right?
The aforementioned Facebook comment is relatively innocuous because it was so isolated, but it isn’t the first time someone has attempted something like this. Someone once even sent similar emails to all of our advertisers. That’s attacking my livelihood — my ability to support my family — and I take that very personally.
If you don’t want to hear what someone who is different has to say, then don’t listen — or in this case, don’t read — but there’s an old saying about defending their right to say it. And as I step down from my position, I wish The Independent all the best of luck in continuing to say the things it takes courage to say in southern Utah.
