Many of us are looking forward to the 2024 election season with something approaching dread — not just at potential outcomes, but at having to endure months of nastiness as increasingly polarized Americans claw at each other on TV, on social media and in newspapers. And yes, it has reached the pages of the Enterprise as well.
How to manage political commentary in the current, highly contentious climate is a vexing question for us in the newspaper business. On one hand, we want to encourage vigorous discourse in commentary and letters to the editor. On the other hand, we don’t want the commentary we publish to fray the social fabric of our community. After all, regardless of who wins the 2024 elections — from the township offices to the presidency — we’re all still going to be neighbors who need to live together in this place and look out for each other.
Some of our readers love the scrum; others would prefer not to read political commentary and letters at all.
Many of the letters we receive are thoughtful and wellargued. Some are … less so. Our strong preference is to run all the letters we get, and we do run all that meet our basic guidelines. We want everyone’s voice to be heard. But let’s shoot for quality here as we roll into the 2024 election season.
Ask yourself this: Am I trying to persuade someone to a different point of view, or at least cause them to look at an issue in a different light? Or am I just venting? Or grandstanding? Arguing for persuasion is a lot more valuable.
You’re never going to persuade anyone that your point of view is right by insulting or taunting those you disagree with. Name calling and spewing baseless accusations only deepen the chasm preventing civil conversation and debate.
Argue hard. Argue well. But argue with substance, not just vitriol.
Thriller writer and commentator Barry Eisler put this perfectly: “Argue with others the way you’d like them to argue with you. Argue with intent to persuade. Argue with evidence and logic. That shouldn’t be so hard, should it? Let’s give it a try.”
Yep — let’s give it a try. We think Leelanau can do it. Amy Hubbell, editor Michael Wnek, publisher John Elchert, COO
