Ombudsman


The Washington Post's ombudsman was trying to explain what they need to do to be more representative.

She included all of the market research numbers and left out one thing, honesty.

I couldn't sit idly by and listen to that self-delusion so I wrote the accompanying article.

I invite you all to write to the Ombudsman of the Washington Post if you feel, as I do, that they are too busy kissing up to the White House, than telling the truth about what's going on in the world today.

Les

My letter to the Washington Post's Ombudsman:

I don’t expect you publish this.



You never do.



And therein lies the problem.



Don’t get me wrong. I do read the Washington Post but a lot less now since you’ve basically given up serious investigative reporting and replace your commitment to honest news in assuring “access” and maintaining your leveraged position with the White House.



You can’t really have two masters and serve either one of them well.



And in this case, the one being shortchanged is the people.



Not a problem that can’t be remedied; but we don’t expect it to happen any time soon.



I do applaud your courage, however, in talking about the need for a more representative viewpoint.



Only you’ve got it wrong.



Anyone who reads your paper would have to agree that it is the conservatives who rule.



They can say whatever they want while your so-called liberal writers seem almost invisible for their point of view.



And that is the problem.



Read any of the Blogs today and you will get it.



People are tired of reading PR pieces for bad government.



And there’s no need to; not with so many available sources.



Personally, I’ve submitted maybe two dozen pieces to the Post and never got them printed. Never. (The Times has printed at least a dozen of my articles and think-pieces.)



Hey, I’m a big boy, that doesn’t bother me but then to read some of the stuff that qualifies for inclusion in your newspaper boggles the mind with its inherent bias and simply bad writing that always seems to make the government look good--a task that is almost impossible with its past record that leaves one speechless, it's bad decisions and its preoccupation with secrecy and special interests. Thank for pleading our case, Washington Post.



Even your own ombudsman did the math.



The articles favoring the government and that are included on the front page far outweigh any articles that may be labeled “progressive” or “liberal.”



No one is fooled by the fact that the Washington Post bears little resemblance to the Washington Post when the editor and the publisher really took their craft seriously; and were not concerned about being “kiss=ups” to the “inner circle” of a cabal of special interests.



Ultimately, such pandering has to catch up with you as it is for the NYTimes which gave up its franchise years ago with the Nixon papers and nothing of serious consequence since.



It is not the numbers, it is not the ‘window dressing,” it is the content that counts.



Right now, few of us who seriously read papers and then measure what they say against an honest appraisal of content, care to subject ourselves to mind manipulation.



Give me the tools and let me make up my own mind is more our mantra.



Anyone who has studied symbolic logic can see that you are betting on the wrong odds.



Is it no wonder then why people don’t read the newspapers the way they used to.



They just don’t believe the stuff you print.



That’s why Bloggers like myself do so well in the public arena.



I try to keep a youthful outlook, but truth to say, I've literally been through most of the campaigns of the last forty years. Mostly, I am a senior news junky who doesn’t fear the truth and doesn't mind sticking up for the environment, civil rights, the Constitution and Veteran affairs.



Why should I?



I didn’t go to war to serve my country so that I can be afraid to tell it like it is.



I think your concern about window dressing does a disservice to the real need which is the truth at all costs.



Thanks for hearing me out.



Les Aaron

Free lance journalist and Blogger