2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumAZ Republic: How do we respond to threats after our endorsement? This is how.
But in its more than 125 years, The Republic had never endorsed a Democrat for president. So, over the many months of the campaign, we found ourselves with this question: Endorse no one, or endorse a Democrat for the first time in our history?
We made our choice soberly. We knew it would be unpopular with many people. We knew that, although we had clearly stated our objections to Trump, it would be a big deal for a conservative editorial board in a conservative state to break ranks from the party.
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To the anonymous caller who invoked the name of Don Bolles hes the Republic reporter who was assassinated by a car bomb 40 years ago and threatened that more of our reporters would be blown up because of the endorsement, I give you Kimberly. She is the young woman who answered the phone when you called. She sat in my office and calmly told three Phoenix police detectives what you had said. She told them that later, she walked to church and prayed for you. Prayed for patience, for forgiveness. Kimberly knows free speech requires compassion.
To those of you who have spit on, threatened with violence, screamed at and bullied the young people going door-to-door selling subscriptions, I give you those dozens of young men and women themselves. Many sell subscriptions to work their way through school. Most were too frightened to share even their first names here. But they are still on the job. They know that free speech is part of a society that values hard work and equal opportunity.
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To all of you who asked why we endorsed or what right we had to do so I give you my mother. She grew up under an occupying dictatorship, with no right to an education, no free press, no freedom of religion, no freedom to assemble peaceably, no right to vote. No right to free speech. She raised a journalist who understood not to take these rights for granted.
Don Bolles and Nina Pulliam are gone now, and Uncle Jobe is, too.
But the journalists I introduced you to here walk into the newsroom every day to do their jobs.
When they do, they pass by an inscription that fills an entire wall, floor to ceiling. It is 45 words long. It is an idea that is in my thoughts a lot these days.
It is the First Amendment.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/2016/10/16/publisher-response-to-threats-after-republic-endorsement-clinton-trump/92058964/
boomer55
(592 posts)PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)I heard that people were buying subscriptions BECAUSE of the endorsement!
BlueCaliDem
(15,438 posts)can come in handy to look up and bring to heel these home-grown RW-terrorists who threaten the lives of innocents (like the young men and women selling subscriptions) and the First Amendment right of a Free Press. In a country where deadly firearms are protected under the 2nd Amendment, we have no choice but to have a far-reaching Patriot Act that can be used for good.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Incredible piece.
Persondem
(1,936 posts)I will link to that as much as possible in the coming days.
Thank you for posting it.
Raster
(20,998 posts)Stay strong, stand tall! You have done the right thing! This is an example of the festering sore Arizona AND NATIONAL politics have become under the Tea-publicans, Teahadists, and tea whatever. This is also a fine example of what happens to a major political party when they let in "the crazy" just for votes. Remember, it was the Republicans that gave us the foul "Southern Strategy" that made racism and race baiting an electoral endeavor.
We need to reject the concept that ideology and party matters more than Country. It is precisely this type of thinking that has led us where we are today!
Amonester
(11,541 posts)It is the First Amendment.
What a strange concept it is for deploRables...
treestar
(82,383 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)Ruth Bonner
(192 posts)Cakes488
(874 posts)How is this constituency - that resorts to threats of violence and even assassination - NOT DEPLORABLE???
Laf.La.Dem.
(2,943 posts)How many threats did they receive with their endorsements of Republicans?
Principles from a conservative paper.
lillypaddle
(9,580 posts)mountain grammy
(26,622 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)Support for the Democratic Party and its leaders and adherents. Totally on board with that.
Having said it, though, I feel a need to voice at least some support for Republicans like these. I see that many of you have, so I'm sure I'm on solid ground here. People like this editorial board seemed to be a dying breed, but perhaps a comeback will be in the offing after this horrible experience of a "campaign."
These are the Republicans of years past; people with whom I (and I'm sure all but a handful of all of you) can respectfully disagree. Differing visions of one's country are one thing. What we've seen it devolve to is something else, something I'd not have thought possible. I'm hoping this election will be the defibrillator paddles that the elephant needs so desperately.
47of74
(18,470 posts)There were still some of these old school Republicans around who were basically punch clock types, they did what they had to during the day but after hours the party labels got hung up and they were Americans. Even then it seemed to me that there were Republicans who wanted to do right by the American people and agreed with Democrats on more things than they disagreed with them on.
Now these days that doesn't seem to be the case. These people are always looking to one up even Republicans who are not sufficiently reich wing enough, let alone Democrats. These people seem to be in it for only themselves and their rich benefactors, and everyone else can go F themselves.
ailsagirl
(22,897 posts)I love it when others vote their conscience over party
I will write to them and tell them how I feel
"profiles in courage"
TexasBushwhacker
(20,192 posts)Tell me again how you aren't deplorables.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)The "No true Scotsman" argument is invalid as repeatedly we hear from far too many people that Trump "says what they think".
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)bluestateboomer
(505 posts)These heroes may be going to jail for their journalistic stands.
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)America will not succumb to threats of violence....we will persevere against those who advocate and undertake such violence upon our democracy and freedoms...the same way our fathers and grandfathers defeated the same like minded fascist in ww2...we will prevail
lastlib
(23,239 posts)Hekate
(90,704 posts)Thank you.
DFW
(54,397 posts)Some of these so-called "conservatives" are finally figuring out that the First Amendment is at least as important as the Second Amendment, if not more so.
That both broke my heart, and made me hopeful.
GeoWilliam750
(2,522 posts)Be made head of Fox News. She seems to have a heart, a brain, a spine, a sense of right and wrong, and an excellent way with words.
reACTIONary
(5,770 posts).... It is the First Amendment.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)I hope I remember this person.
OH, how much you want to bet they discount what he said because he is of Asian descent?
anniebelle
(899 posts)is a scary place to be in this country right now. I never thought I'd live to see the day (I'm 71 years old) when I would be afraid to put up a yard sign or a bumper sticker on my car, but I wouldn't dare! My husband and I, who are both yellow-dog Democrats, talk constantly about how the Republican party has changed so ~ just in our lifetime ~ we don't have conversations with outsiders about our beliefs and concerns and that, to me, is the saddest thing that has happened to our country, mainly since Ronald Reagan introduced such hatred and divisiveness to our political system. I have noticed even in this very RED area, there are no yard signs and very, very few bumper stickers, even Republican stickers. Scary times, folks. Please go vote.
Well done.