Posted by
Mike Bates on Tuesday, February 03, 2009 1:34:34 PM
The Reporter, a suburban Chicago newspaper, included on its commentary page last week this editorial announcement:
"The Reporter newspaper regrets to inform our loyal readers that
columnist Michael Bates has chosen to discontinue his services after
nearly 20 years writing for our commentary page.
"Mr. Bates is a polarizing commentator beloved by some readers and
detested by others. . . We know some readers won't be upset by his
departure, but we also understand those members of the unofficial
Michael Bates fan club will be extremely disappointed. One or two
readers have actually told us over the years that Mr. Bates' column is
the
reason they read The Reporter." The notice went on to say something
complimentary about my writing and to wish my family and me well.
The statement was wrong about how long I've taken up space in The
Reporter. It's been well over 20 years. Then again, since the editor
was in elementary school when I began cranking — the emphasis here is
on crank — out a weekly column, his error is understandable.
I do think the editor owed readers the explanation for
why
I quit writing for The Reporter. Since he didn't provide it, I will.
The details likely won't be seen by a majority of "the unofficial
Michael Bates fan club," newspaper subscribers who've loyally read my
columns and been most generous in their approval. Still, I want the
reason to be a matter of cyberspace record. You just never know what
might someday be Googled.
Back to the grounds for discontinuing my services. I titled the last
column I wrote for The Reporter "Include Me Out," penned the day before
the inauguration. The principal point was that Obama's presidency will
be a fiasco. (In his first hours, he kicked things off by coddling
terrorists and killing unborn babies, so I'm still most confident of
that forecast.)
The Reporter's editor changed the column title to "Success for Obama
would be disaster." He's changed titles before and, although I didn't
like some of his modifications, I never made a big deal about them. He
is the editor, after all, and that's part of his job. Besides, neither
he nor any of the previous editors tampered with column content and
that was what primarily mattered.
This time, however, he also added a sub-headline: "Bitter conservative
can't wish U.S. well." It took about 30 seconds from the time I saw
that to call to complain. "What part of it didn't you like," he asked,
"the bitter conservative?"
No, that element wasn't a problem. I am indeed a bitter conservative,
bitter that leftist loon Obama is now destroying the nation.
No, the objectionable portion was his claiming I can't wish my own
country well. It implies I'm unpatriotic. That isn't accurate. Well, he
went on, if Obama doesn't succeed, then America will fail. How can you
not wish Obama well if you love your country?
I replied that Obama is most emphatically
not
the United States, even though his admirers habitually think so. His
"success" in imposing his radical agenda means America loses. National
victory requires a vigorous rejection of most of Obama's schemes.
The Reporter has been drifting leftward for a while. If memory serves
correctly, the newspaper never endorsed a presidential candidate
before, certainly not a Democrat. Yet this year it urged readers to
vote for Obama. Last week its front page announced:
"Tears flowed, cheers erupted — and in some dark, lonely and bitter
places teeth undoubtedly gnashed — when Barack Obama was sworn in
Tuesday. . . " How's that for balanced, objective reporting? So perhaps
it wasn't a surprise that he slapped the sub-headline "Bitter
conservative can't wish U.S. well" over the column.
One reader contacted me and asked if I had written that. Since my
picture and name appeared right under the statement, it's easy to see
why she'd be confused.
The editor is entitled to do his job. Obviously, he's free to voice his
opinion and slant the news about those dark, lonely and bitter places
as long as the publisher lets him.
But he doesn't have a right to question my devotion to America or
assail my patriotism simply because I hold Obama's policies in
contempt. I don't want to work with someone who'd do that.
And that's why I quit The Reporter. I'll still do some commentaries and
perhaps a few discerning Web sites will occasionally use them. My
Townhall.com blog (
http://bates.blogtownhall.com/default.aspx) will continue to be updated, as well as my Web site (michaelmbates.com).
But the unofficial Michael Bates fan club previously headquartered
through The Reporter is hereby disbanded. It's been quite a run and I
thank you.