Usually at this time I am putting together the thoughts I have collected over the week about issues in the news, but today I am putting together my thoughts on how to say good-bye and thank you to those of you who have visited My Front Porch for the past twenty-three months. From being a Ballet Dad to posts exposing the malfeasance at the Teachers’ Association of Long Beach to my thoughts on national politics and state economics to my naivety of social technology, from gay marriage to the loss of our family pet I have tried to write to the Long Beach Post community as if they were indeed in the rocker next to me on my porch as we discussed whatever came up — from deeply personal to philosophical, a myriad of topics were covered.
For the past several months I have been a pain for Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen and publishers Robert Garcia (currently on hiatus as he runs for City Council) and Shaun Lumachi. Having initiated more than a couple of spats over my posts and what and how I wanted to comment on some issues, the time has come for us to part ways. The crux of the disagreements is that the Long Beach Post publishers want all posts to somehow be about Long Beach; it is a local site written by local citizens and they want us to tie every one of our posts to Long Beach somehow. Respectful of this I have bristled at having to stretch issues down to include “Long Beach” in my posts — my argument is that our readers are smart enough to see how the issues and topics I have opined on implicitly relate to their lives in Long Beach, their argument is that it is their website and they make the style rules. In the end I have to agree with them, it is their website and to contribute I need to follow their rules. Rather than continue to find ways to stretch my points about Obama, or Sacramento, or Israel or Fannie Mae to explicitly mention Long Beach, I have decided to step away from the Long Beach Post.
In surveying the local media, which includes three popular websites mostly devoted to Long Beach news and opinions, one semi-locally based daily paper, and several weekly and semi-weekly print publications, I have found that I am one of the few voices that speaks not from the left. I feel I have brought a perspective to our community that does not enter the echo chamber found in the columnists and editorialists and halls of our local and state governments. At the same time, I feel my perspectives on economic and social issues have shown many on the left (are they “liberals” or “progressives?”) that some one with an (R) on their registration can make sense and that there is common ground when issues are looked at rationally and not politically. I hope as we move into this new political environment that others in the local community speak to us outside the political and commentator echo chamber of the majority.
As an amateur, volunteer contributor to a growing media concept, I am pretty proud of the over 120 contributions I have made to the Long Beach Post since it debuted in February 2007. I have greatly enjoyed the comments and email exchanges I have had with many readers and members of our community; and am very grateful for each of you who have had read and taken the time to write me your thoughts and opinions on my thoughts and opinions. Many times I have encouraged those writing to me to go public with their thoughts and let others know how you feel and what you think — silence of ideas and self-suppression of opinions is dangerous for an active democracy. Our local, state and national politics are only as healthy as the number of ideas, perspectives and opinions that are spoken, and that are allowed to speak.
In closing, I want to thank Shaun and Robert for carving out a section of the Long Beach Post for My Front Porch. My appreciation and gratitude to Ryan as well for assistance in running the site. My best wishes for the Long Beach Post as it continues to grow and expand visitors and contributors.
Thank you Long Beach Post readers for taking the time to read My Front Porch.
Your thoughts welcome, click here to email me or on “Leave A Comment” below for public response.