By David Cohen
Recently on these pages, my editorial board colleague Lisa Pampuch discussed the charges of bias that come up when the newspaper takes a stand on a topic that attracts a vocal opposition. She pointed out that the opinion pages of this newspaper are separate from the news pages. And, that on the opinion pages, the opinions of the newspaper are expressed. Opinions that some may not agree with.
The opinions of this newspaper result from a meeting of the newspaper’s editorial board of which I am one of six members. The board is led by Editor Sheila Sanchez and Publisher Steve Staloch. Our names and e-mail addresses appear on the editorial page. We gather every Tuesday morning for what one former board member called, “the best conversation in Morgan Hill.” It is a wide ranging and free wheeling discussion emanating from a list of topics suggested by Sanchez. But the conversation isn’t limited to those, and editorials often result from the discussion of topics not on the list.
Our meetings can sometimes get a little loud because we don’t all agree on every issue. We work through the differences and emerge from the meetings knowing that the topics have been thoroughly discussed. Like the Supreme Court, if one of us feels strongly opposed to the position taken in the editorial, we can write a dissenting opinion, which appears on the Op-Ed page. It happens, but not all that often.
The point I am trying to make is that the editorial stands that this newspaper takes are very reflective of our community, with some in favor, some opposed and others who are not as interested. The members of the editorial board range the political spectrum and the age spectrum. What we have in common is a deep seated love of Morgan Hill and a strong desire to make it better.
David Cohen, a member of this newspaper’s editorial board, is a corporate speechwriter. He also serves as president of the Community Law Enforcement Foundation of Morgan Hill, a grassroots organization in support of the Morgan Hill Police Department. Reach him at da*********@*ds.com.
