The great American newspaper is on the ropes. It is seeing readership shrink an astounding amount in the past ten years. News sites on the Internet contribute to the loss of interest in the printed word. Growing up in rural Montana posed a problem to my dream of delivering newspapers on my bicycle. The roads were rutted and distances too great to cover in the morning hours before dawn. These facts did not completely discourage my dream, and many sleep-overs in town began with a Saturday morning delivery session with a friend. This friend taught me the art of the end over end toss with just enough on it to land on the porch, but to not hit the door. Quietly, we would pedal along, one hand on the handlebars and the other fishing and tossing papers as we went along. Finally we would reach the end of the route and pedal home to breakfast, fingers covered in black newsprint, and stomachs grumbling.
Were it not for newspapers I would not have this experience. Were it not for newspapers we would not have the opportunity to voice our opinion, and to be published! Yes, the hallowed ground of the academy may frown upon the Editorial page as mere drivel. No, you will probably not gain any ground on your path to tenure, but you will be talking to America. In Foundations class we discuss how to reach out from the ivory tower of the academy and inform decisions about resource use.
Why not write an editorial? I know you think you don't have time, but do it anyway.
Salt Lake Tribune: E-mail: letters@sltrib.com
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