Totally Unacceptable Censorship

Freedom of speech is not a freedom I take lightly. As a politician (Seward City Council) I often hear viewpoints that I don't agree with, and sometimes I listen to viewpoints that totally piss me off.

But you know what, that is a good thing. Because just as often as not it is those viewpoints that make me reexamine the basis for my thinking - and force me to consider a different point of view entirely.

It may not change how I feel about a particular issue, but it always enlightens me as to needs and concerns of others that I otherwise would not have considered. And more often than not, I am able to mitigate variables to address those needs and concerns.

Choice cannot exist in a vacuum. Unless I hear from the public, I cannot possibly understand what is going on in this world. Understanding the people, that is the key to making good choices when you represent them. That said, taking off my politician hat and putting on my journalist hat - I am so disappointed in the ya-hoos at the Michigan Chronicle.

For those of you just tuning in, my adopted cousin Tracy Lorenz, writes a color commentary for the rag on a week-to-week basis. Once in awhile, the editor's at the Michigan Chronicle decide that Tracy's opinion is too far out of line from representing the viewpoint of the powers that be, and they choose to have him pen a new column last minute.

For the record, nothing that I have read of Tracy's dialogue has been the least bit offensive or even edgy. His is a very mid-American piece. So all of his columns, including the rejected ones, I weekly post on the little blog I set up for him Lorenz-a-Large (click the title for a direct link.)

Great wonderful, got a few regional links and my boy is going to traffic town. RRRRCHHHHH! Were those the brakes? Yep, that is the horrific stench that you are smelling. The Jello-eating crowd at the Michigan Chronicle discovered the blog and advised Tracy that he is no longer allowed to post his rejected columns. Or else.

So wrong, on so many levels. Shame on you, Chronicle. Shame on you. Round up the boys, get out the tar and feathers, we are riding into town. Bull-cah-cah, buckwheat. Not amused.