Thursday, June 12, 2008

Clyde Winter, Censored, But Not Silenced, In Ozaukee County

Clyde Winter, a blogger and columnist for the Ozaukee News-Graphic - - well, make that a former columnist - - has posted on his blog the column that was sent back by the paper along with his termination notice.

You can read the column on Winters' Hearts and Minds blog.

That leaves a real void in the paper's pages, that's for sure. The News-Graphic is part of Conley Publications, perhaps best known in the area as the publisher of The Freeman, Waukesha's local daily.

Winter is one of those people I only know through the Internet, and I am a fan of his blog. We need more of these authoritative and literate local voices.

His blog bio says he's a former military man who lives on the same farm his family founded in 1848.

After his column came back, Winter posted it with an addendum that he plans to run as an independent for the Senate seat held by Glenn Grothman.

4 comments:

James Wigderson said...

I don't see the post.

James Wigderson said...

never mind. It was below the fold.

Anonymous said...

My regular "Ozaukee Farmstead" column has appeared for the last six years in the Ozaukee News-Graphic , through the tenure of three different managing editors. Cancellation of my column also means that my articles would no longer appear in the regional on-line newspaper, Greater Milwaukee Today, where it has only belatedly appeared since last fall, to counter the four right-wing peas-in-a-pod, Mark Belling, Jessica McBride, Owen Robinson, and James Wigderson. Those odds are certainly stacked, but at least my column vigorously presented an alternative point of view to theirs.

You may (or may not)have noticed what now fills the editorial page in the News-Graphic, and the Opinion section of GMToday.com, since my column no longer appears.

The managing editor was being replaced in that position at the time he canceled my column. He had been in that position less than a year. The new managing editor is a man - as have been all previous managing editors. That is also true of all but one previous and current op-ed columnists for the News-Graphic. That one woman columnist had a very short tenure.

If you know a good writer, with a progressive, well considered perspective, especially a woman writer, have them contact the new managing editor in order that we can continue to have a public discourse in our local and on-line mass media that is not monopolized and totally managed of, by, and for the Ruling Party here. We can not tolerate the further entrenchment and fortification of the existing repressive mono-culture.

Call or email Jan Rockley, editor
(262 - 387 - 4862) jrockley@conleynet.com
and Phil Paige, publisher
(262-375-5100)
newsgraphic@conleynet.com


If you wish to object to the cancellation of my column, now would be a good time to do so. Any previous communications to that effect have apparently been lost in the shuffle when the last managing editor canceled "Ozaukee Farmstead" while he was packing his bags to go to another Conley publication.
________________________________

Here are a few recent reader comments.
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My recent column on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq drew the following comment from a combat infantry veteran:

"Your article is very well written, researched and meaningful..."

And another comment from a local reader, on that same March, 2008 column, "Coming Home When It's Over, Over There".

"It … hit the proverbial nail right on the head in my view. It crystallized a very confusing issue in just a few paragraphs."
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A local retired educator and professor wrote:

"Clyde ... Thanks for bringing some sanity and common sense into the discourse within our county."
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A steelworker in southeast Wisconsin wrote:

"I’ve reproduced columns and passed them to friends/acquaintances that I felt would benefit from your insights - with good feedback... continue to produce your excellent column. I always look forward to it."
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From an Ozaukee County elected official:

"I always enjoyed reading C. Winter's articles. I sometimes agree and sometimes disagree, but that is what a good writer is supposed to do. I am disappointed that you have canceled Clyde's column."
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My very last submission for "Ozaukee Farmstead", "How Wisconsin Legislators Voted on Ending Legalized Bribery", which the previous editor refused to print when he canceled my column, drew the following comment from a reader who saw it on my blog:

"Thanks for your great courage, Clyde, in submitting such a hard-hitting article..."
__________________________________


It's not very becoming, nor a sign of humility, to beat my own drum. But unless YOU raise your voice effectively, now, mine will be silenced (at least in this publication) and none other may rise to replace it.

Anonymous said...

Clyde Winters is one of the most sensible men ive yet to meet. He is an active thinker, perfect for Ozaukee County. I am going to vote for him, ultimatley its your choice but he is the best choice. For all you doubters i know for a fact he was a member of the 101st airbourn division, and he does live on the beautiful farm his family founded in the 1800's