Mr. Don Holland
Editor
The Daily Press
Victorville, Ca. 92393
May 19, 2009
Dear Sir:
Please forgive me if this letter is somehow inappropriate but as a faithful reader of your newspaper, I wish to share a long held concern. The concern is the Religion page. This page is the focus of my Saturday AM start and potentially that of all your readers.
The Religion page has gotten progressively more anemic and uninteresting over the years. The wasted potential is difficult for this reader to comprehend so I felt it necessary to at least express my dissatisfaction. Please allow me to make the following positive statements.
A newspaper Religion page should be inclusive. A single constituency directive is a turnoff for wider readership. Such a limited scope is what the church world knows as “preaching to the choir”. Should a newspaper focus upon peddling such feel goodies? No, Sunday AM is the appropriate time for such communication.
A newspaper Religion page should be about sharing. The possibilities for this sharing about God are incalculable. Even the opinion that we are alone in the galaxies is to be respected. What does religion have to say to the current culture? All input should be solicited and valued, then the readers can make their own conclusions.
A newspaper Religion page should present a mix of perspectives. The wisdom of the professional theologian with assigned status and educational degrees is only one perspective. Let’s also listen to the elderly, quiet little lady in the second pew who has weathered a multiplicity of life experiences. What wisdom have you, young lady, received from God on your journey? Both perspectives should be encouraged to speak.
Your newspaper must have “other” priorities that allows management to settle for a lesser Religion page. Possibly, this page’s weakness is industry wide. Probably, I am the only reader dissatisfied. Certainly, I am not qualified to judge your efforts at the business of publishing.
From this layman’s perspective, the purpose of this letter is to be positive and I apologize if this unsolicited feedback seems super critical. Thank you for the Daily Press’s pivotal role in my life and the life of all your readers.
Sincerely Yours,
G.Goslaw
Victorville, Ca. ( This letter has engendered no response)
