Thursday, March 28, 2024

Stop telling me what you’re against and tell me where you stand

Posted

FROM MY FRONT PORCH

 

 

Sam Houston is the publisher of the Hood County News. He is also an actor, author, playwright, performer and entertainment producer/promoter.

 

Election season is upon us, and I have never been more disappointed in the tenor and tone of our political discourse. Please understand, I appreciate and support vigorous debate on issues. I also want the electorate to be able to make informed, educated decisions when they enter the voting booth to exercise their franchise. Currently this is a difficult task.

Just this weekend, I was watching college football on TV and during a break in the action, political commercials would air. I did not see one, not a single candidate, try to express their plan for moving forward in a simple and concise way. In fact, I did not hear a political ad that would tell me what a candidate believed in. The focus of every single one of the ads was to tell me of the terrible beliefs and deeds of their opponent, how they were the “enemy” and why I needed to be afraid of them.

Each one took mudslinging to a new height with exaggerated claims that were aimed to stoke the fear, prejudices, and anxieties of the viewer. This behavior was from both sides of the political aisle. Unfortunately, this seems to be the nature of our current political discourse. Evidently the more outrageous and negative the better.

Locally, political races like the school board, which have traditionally been bipartisan in nature, are now the subject of intense partisan politics and supported financially by interests outside Hood County. Why would anyone who does not pay taxes in Hood County or doesn’t have a student in the GISD, have any interest in the school board election? Why would they hire paid political hacks to attempt to control the narrative and instill baseless fear in in the minds of voters? Why would anyone suggest the GISD is teaching and supporting programs that are not part of the school curriculum, and never have been?

Where is the transparency? Why don’t these political operatives step out of the dark shadows and explain who they represent, who finances them, and the nature of their agenda? Why should partisan politics be part of the school board election when the goal should be to elect the candidates who care about the education of our children, and will fulfill the obligations of the office in an ethical, responsible way? Is the election about finding the best candidate to fulfill an office, or for a small group of people financed by outside sources to have political control of our county?

The leadership and staff of the Hood County News take a great many steps to insure the impartiality of our reporting. It makes no difference which party, which candidate or which election, we strive to report facts to our readership, not baseless opinions or accusations.

Since I have been publisher, the newspaper has never endorsed a candidate. We will continue that practice because it is our belief that it is not my role to attempt to influence an election is such a manner. However, it is our job to report on the goings-on in our community and some of it is political in nature.

The public has a right to know if a candidate is a resident of the precinct where they are seeking election. They have a right to know who or what is financing a campaign. They have a right to know about the actions of office holders and those seeking office and we have a duty to report to the public. They have the right to know when public officials fail to respond to freedom of information requests.

Office holders also have an obligation to answer the questions of the legitimate press and if they fail to do so, YOU should question why. Doing so makes our community a better place.

Thought for the day: In politics a politician needs two things to be successful, friends and an enemy.

Until next time…

sam@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 260