Dissent

Any newspaper's editorial board must reserve the right to endorse, or not endorse, any candidate. The only tradition we care about is that of the First Amendment, and we respect that the decision of endorsement varies between a newspaper's editors and management, which can alter between election cycles.\nMany voters turn to newspapers as more informed and saturated sources, capable of funneling complex issues into digestible packets for its readers. These editorials can be used for guidance and as tools.\nEndorsements are often, and should be, accompanied by disclaimers that state who served on the newspaper's endorsement decision panel and should explain the newspaper's rationality in making its decision. This is a step taken to avoid a sense of impropriety.\nBut newspaper staffs fear. They don't want to alienate or offend readers through endorsements. But it is a newspaper's civic duty to foster intellectual debate and to show courageous leadership in its community by taking thoughtful stands. \nNewspaper staffs take stances in editorials every day. It is insulting to us and our readers to believe we can debate only nameless issues and not the candidates behind them.\nSome worry a newspaper's reputation of fairness is at stake in endorsing a candidate. We argue its reputation is more at stake when newspapers allow themselves to restrict their actions based on what might make readers angry. We must not pander to the lowest common denominator by muzzling ourselves or our journalistic freedom.