WELCOME to the debut of “The Truth Is!”, a blog of reporting and commentary that aims to be informative, thoughtful and provocative. At least initially, the blog will have a strong heartland flavor by virtue of the connection of a number of us to Cowles family journalism. I am former editor of the Des Moines Register’s opinion pages. Another contributor, Michael Gartner, is former editor of the paper; he later served as president of NBC News. Another former Register editor who has agreed to contribute, Geneva Overholser, is director of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg school of journalism. Followers of the blog will have access also to the work of Herbert Strentz of Des Moines, a close Register and other newspaper watcher who once headed Drake University’s journalism school. Bill Leonard, a longtime Register editorial writer, will add insights.

“The Truth Is!” will be supervised by my daughter, Marcia Wolff, a communications lawyer for 20 years with Arnold and Porter (Washington, D.C.). Invaluable technical assistance in assembling and maintaining the blog is provided by my grandsons Julian Cranberg, a college first-year, and Daniel Wolff, a high school senior.

If you detect a whiff of nepotism in this operation, so be it. All of it is strictly a labor of love. —Gil Cranberg

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Gilbert Cranberg: A TIME FOR REASON

The New York Times reported recently that the administration had concluded that restrictions on military-style assault weapons “will be exceedingly difficult” to pass through Congress, raising the spectre that an assault weapons ban would not be pursued. However, an assault weapons ban was included in the package of gun control proposals made to Congress. That means that members of Congress will have to go on the record in any up or down vote on the issue.

The newspaper where I live in Florida provides pretty good coverage of the local scene. But I have not seen how the area’s representative in Congress stands on the gun control measures likely to come to a vote soon. Unless the paper puts the congressman on the record promptly, there won’t be time for constituents to influence him.

All of which points up the critical role the press plays in the upcoming decisions on guns in our society. The press needs to cover the issue aggressively. If senators and representatives are evasive, their evasions should be front-page news. Where they stand on the various proposals should be covered fairly, responsibly and in depth.

Nor should the press be bashful about expressing its own views. Newspapers do not run for office. They can afford to antagonize and offend. When an issue is as emotional as gun ownership is, the best antidote is reasoned argument.

The recent mass murders in Newtown, Connecticut was irrationality at its worst. The finest and most fitting memorial both the press and Congress can contribute would be dignified debate about how to respond to the gun violence in our midst.

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