Editorial Comment - On The Horns Of An Editorial Dilemna

Published by Jimmy Oldsun, NDRIRSRWRAFTC & Editor

I don't normally work on a Sunday.  But I'm feeling very conflicted today, and I thought it would do me some good to get a nagging concern off my chest by writing about it.  My dear readers, my dear friends, I could really use some of your best and wisest advice!  I value your opinion!

I've been sitting on a story about the inner workings of our Gasconade County government since this past Friday, 7/23.  I have a story to tell about an incident which occurred during the Road Department Meeting in Drake on Thursday morning, 7/22.  Members of the editorial board here at Hermann Hearsay have been discussing this story since Friday, and we remain split on whether to publish it.  I have discussed the story with Truman T. Tiger, our owner, and also with Clark Kant, our CEO and Senior Managing Editor.  They, too, are conflicted about publishing this potentially explosive story.  When we couldn't reach a consensus, I told them I'd like to take the issue to our readers and ask you what you think.

Here is our dilemna:

On one hand, we have a story which we believe needs to be reported because:

1. it is a true story and actually occurred,
2. it is sourced by a very credible eyewitness,
3. it is very important (in my judgment) for all citizens of the county to know about this story,
4. it involves the County Commissioners, the titular "leaders" of Gasconade County, and
5. it describes their failure to maintain order, decorum and decency during an official county meeting during which county employees were present.

On the other hand, the publication of this potentially explosive story is likely to:

1. cause great embarrassment to two of our County Commissioners,
2. create increased division between and personal animosity among our County Commissioners, and
3. further destroy any possibility that this County Commission as currently comprised will ever be able to work together for the good of the county.

This is the jist of our dilemna.  Journalism is tough work.  It often calls for tough judgments to be made.

In this case, the judgments which need to be made by Hermann Hearsay are these: 

1. In our democracy, does the public's right to know trump any politician's desire to withhold information from the public so as to avoid widespread personal embarrassment? 
2. In our democracy, should the press withhold a story about government from the public if that story is likely to cause even greater disfunction and disorder than already exists within the government?

I invite you into the inner sanctum of the Hermann Hearsay editorial boardroom.  Tell us what you think!  Run with the story OR spike the story?

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