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A Nation Undeserving Of Its Heritage

Swift County Monitor - Staff Photo - Create Article

Shame on the American citizen
We just celebrated the Fourth of July - the founding of our country and the declaration of our independence from the British monarchy.
But in many ways, we feel it is becoming a shallow celebration with its participants lazy and disengaged from their responsibilities as citizens. Our Founding Fathers would be disgusted with the modern version of the American citizen. They’ve mostly checked out of following their local politics. They don’t participate, and they don’t follow the actions of their local governments in their community newspapers.
Our apologies to the small minority of you who are involved and do follow the news.  You are an increasingly rare and commendable breed of citizen.
In large bold letters stretching across the front page of the April 10 edition of the Swift County Monitor-News, the headline read: “County seeks moratorium on the wind, solar projects.” The story also ran in the Appleton Press and the Kerkhoven Banner
A month later, the headline read: “County votes down wind, solar project moratorium.” Again, the story was published in all three county newspapers. These newspapers don’t just go to subscribers. They can be found in restaurants, for sale on counters of area stores, and in our libraries.
So, we feel some dismay and offense over comments made by Swift County Commissioner Larry Mahoney at the board’s July 2 meeting.
While attending a meeting of over 100 people, Mahoney was asked about the expansion of large wind and solar projects in western Swift County. They could be expanding into Stevens and Pope counties. These projects are being made possible by the planned construction of a 345kV transmission line through western Swift County, southeastern Stevens, western and central Pope, and southern Douglas County.
Not all are pleased with the strong interest by some landowners in signing leases for wind towers and solar arrays on their land.
“They asked me, ‘When can we have a moratorium?’” Mahoney said. Most didn’t know the county board considered and rejected a moratorium. “‘You’ve already missed it,” he told them.
These landowners “don’t get the Benson paper; they maybe don’t read the Press,” he said. Stories ran in The Stevens County Times about the 345kV transmission line attracting wind and solar companies to the area. It wasn’t read.
After the meeting, Mahoney talked with Swift County Administrator Tesa Tomaschett, saying a better way to reach the public was needed.
 “People aren’t reading newspapers like they used to or don’t want to spend the money on the newspaper.” Use Facebook, email, and other online ways to contact residents, he suggested.
 “It bothers me that they say they are unaware of what we are doing,” Commission Chair Pete Peterson said. “The newspapers have been a longstanding information source. We have a website.”
“The people have to see what their government entities are doing. There may be nothing that will affect a person more than their local government. Their local governments will have more influence on their tax dollars, well-being, and quality of life,” he said.
For persistent coverage and insight into the issues before a public body for debate, newspapers in rural America are often the only source of information.
Mahoney suggested getting information to the township officials, who will get it out. “I am just saying that people are not reading the newspaper. The information is available, but they are not reading the paper.”
Mahoney’s comments were one of the starkest examples of a public that has checked out of following local news with the potential consequences to their quality of life. But they have no grounds to complain if what the future brings causes their world to be a little less beautiful, a little louder, and a little more annoying due to flickering wind turbine blades – the blame lies squarely with them.
This isn’t a problem of the newspaper not reaching enough people; it is the fact that people have abandoned their civic responsibility to stay informed. They are focused on national news, entertainment, and social media – and can’t be bothered with local civic engagement.
“While Americans say local news is important, that it is accurately reported, and local reporters are in touch with their communities, only 15% say they have paid for local news in the last year,” a study by the Pew Research Center found.
We do the work for you. All you have to do is follow the stories we write each week. All you have to do is read the headlines, and if you are ambitious, read the first few paragraphs to find out what is happening in your community, county, and region.
There is a saying that the world is run by those who show up - but they must also be informed to influence change.
“Americans who feel a strong sense of connection to their  community are more likely to engage with local news, say that local news outlets are important to the community, and rate local media more highly overall,” the Pew study found “For example, 66% of those who say they are very attached to their community say local news outlets are extremely or very important to the well-being of their local community.”
Every local government can tell a story of the indifference of its citizens to follow the news. Local government leaders in Stevens, Grant, and Swift counties share the same frustrations.
Unfortunately, citizens for whom this editorial is intended likely won’t see it. Our subscribers and those who regularly buy the counter copies are informed citizens. Maybe a few of you will cut it out and post it on bulletin boards where your fellow citizens might read it and be shamed into paying a little more attention to their local governments.
It would give peace to those who stood at Lexington and Concord, suffered at Valley Forge, and fought in the Battle of Yorktown, where America won its freedom.

 

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