Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Subscription To Local Newspaper Considered, Dismissed

The McLean County News Bulletin nearly gained an additional subscriber Monday afternoon before the notion was capsized by a wave of partisan politics.

Reader was pleased with the richness of the 8-page periodical's cover story about the new multi-modal transportation center to be completed with a target date of 2012. The lack of caption explaining the people in the photo above the front page fold added a quaint dimension of mystery.

The article on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival marketed an attractive social opportunity, going further to share the historical back story of the event and the open-air theater dating back to 1978. The national casting call for actors who auditioned added a feeling of transcendence to the event.

Reader was impressed enough with the discovery to take note of the web site address printed near the headline, pondering the thought of reviewing the publication regularly. But the thought was blasted out the ear hole upon turning to a two-page section entitled "From The Left" and "From The Right." Regrettably, the section captured vividly the type of acrimony expected between enemies, but seen too often between Americans who choose sniping over civility, such as:

"For all the Democratic problems, Republicans have troubles as well. And I wouldn't trade their challenges for ours in a million years."

"Obama and his people are clueless about how to go about creating jobs in the private sector."

Reader moved on to other things, seeking as ever a forum of harmony rather than discord, where "their challenges" is a useless concept, and "our challenges" - as citizens in a nation of abundance - is the unified focus.

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