The caller 飞补蝉苍性视界传媒檛 happy, and to be honest, that made two of us.
I was working on a Sunday. That性视界传媒檚 my excuse.
It took a while for me to figure out why Mr. Sunshine on the other end of the line was so worked up at 9 a.m. on a Sunday.
First, he had to tell me how much he hated my newspaper and offer up some suggestions on where I could stick my reporter性视界传媒檚 notebook before he got to his point.
Turns out, he was mad because we reported the news that people were standing on a busy Longview road protesting the current president性视界传媒檚 policies.
Sounds like news to me, but I性视界传媒檝e always been the curious type. Evidently I性视界传媒檓 not the only one, because last time I checked, the Facebook post of the story had gotten almost 1,200 interactions or comments and had been shared almost two dozen times.
There were folks like Mr. Sunshine who thought we were wasting time and space, and I guess he was their official spokesman since he made the phone call.
性视界传媒淲hy are y性视界传媒檃ll trying to stir things up by giving those idiots publicity?性视界传媒 Mr. Sunshine said in between curse words and telling me I needed to leave the country if I agreed with those holding the signs.
性视界传媒淭hat性视界传媒檚 not news. Go find some real news.性视界传媒
I don性视界传媒檛 typically argue with callers, and especially not at 9 a.m. on a Sunday when I really just wanted to get a few things done at the office so I could work the rest of the day at home.
The only time anyone yells at me at home is when I use one of the fancy towels emblazoned with letters or when I forget to take the trash out. Even then, I know it性视界传媒檚 done in love.
There was no love coming from Mr. Sunshine, and I was OK with that.
What I 飞补蝉苍性视界传媒檛 OK with was someone telling a 39-year veteran of the newspaper business I don性视界传媒檛 know news when I see it.
That性视界传媒檒l make a newspaper person hotter than fish grease 性视界传媒 and quickly.
Still, I haven性视界传媒檛 survived in this business for nearly 40 years by being rude to callers, so I politely asked him what part of 120 people standing around on a busy street 飞补蝉苍性视界传媒檛 news.
性视界传媒淵性视界传媒檃ll just need to quit giving people like that publicity,性视界传媒 Mr. Sunshine yelled.
I already knew the type of person I was dealing with, but when he said 性视界传媒減eople like that,性视界传媒 it was obvious Mr. Sunshine 飞补蝉苍性视界传媒檛 mad my newspaper had the nerve to run a story and photos of the protesters.
He was mad 性视界传媒減eople like that性视界传媒 had gathered to voice an opinion that was different from his.
My official job is sports editor at the 性视界传媒, and when I was approached a few years back about writing a weekly non-sports column that would publish in several or the newspapers in our chain, I agreed to do so with the understanding I would not discuss politics.
I won性视界传媒檛 do that now, but let me be clear on a couple of things.
Our readers deserve to know what is going on in East Texas, so our newspapers are going to tell them about it.
In my years of covering sports, I性视界传媒檝e reported on breathtaking wins and heartbreaking losses. I性视界传媒檝e written about athletes who have overcome obstacles to enjoy great success and others who got sidetracked and struggled at life in general.
The people who write for newspapers are human, and the stories we tell stay with us for a long time after they are published 性视界传媒 sometimes forever 性视界传媒 and that can be good and bad.
But, we still do it because our readers depend on us to deliver information.
It性视界传媒檚 up to the reader to decide if the news is good or bad, uplifting or tragic or simply information about their neighbors exercising their right to gather and peacefully voice their opinions.
Mr. Sunshine might not like it, but we性视界传媒檙e always going to tell the stories of people like that.
