Show i Right conclusions are more likely to Be gathered out of a multitude of tongues than through any kind of authoritative selection American Jurist Page 10 Sunday March 7 1999 The Herald Journal Logan Utah (1172-19- Our view Closed government cannot be tolerated P erhaps the most impressive aspect of the drafting and ratification of the US Constitution was the great dialogue from which it sprung The impassioned and eloquent words of Thomas Jefferson James Madison and other great early American orators still ring dearly these two centuries later Unfortunately some contemporary American (and Utah) statesmen seem to have become tone deaf And instead of tuning their voices to the clear high notes of free and open democracy they have lately opted for muffled conversations in closed chambers So please pardon us if we raise our voices a bit louder than normal in declaring that SUCH BEHAVIOR MUST NOT BE TOLERATED! More than ever the voices in our great land need to be heard and the cloistering of those in power should be condoned no more than the silencing of those without power If there is anything worth fighting for this is most certainly it If such an injunction sounds overly dramatic consider that armed guards were posted outside Republican caucuses at the Utah House of Representatives this year to ensure discussions about impending legislation remain confidential The closing of party caucuses is permitted under law But in Utah where the GOP holds strong debate Particularly troubling is the fact that Utah’s Republicans appear to be relying more and more on this loophole to go about routine business But an even more disturbing example of closed government came during the recent Senate impeachment trial when the entire body went into closed session for one final bit of haggling before taking the decisive vote In both cases the argument for secrecy has been that lawmakers can speak more frankly and freely without the press and in turn the public listening in This may be true But like it or not politically expedient or not tasteful or not bipartisan or not secrecy of this kind has nothing to do with democracy the principal upon which this nation was founded We applaud those few lawmakers who have had the courage to speak out against these secret proceed- ings including South Jordan Republican Rep Lloyd Frandsen whose words last week in reference to closed caucusing in Utah are reminiscent of Jefferson himself: “People say you can speak your heart in a closed meeting Do we have two hearts? One in there and another in public?” Hear! hear! Roek on Renaissance varlets and swordsmen By Dave Barry Historical Society rehearse for a public performance at an upcoming Renais- Tribune Media Services sance festival They were leaping X was surprised to learn that there are in Miami who practice swordpeople fighting I never thought of Miami as a sword kind of town Down here we like to brandish our weapons at other motorists from inside our cars which would he risky with a sword: FIRST MOTORIST (honking): Watch where you're going! SECOND MOTORIST: Oh YEAH? (He brandishes his sword) FIRST MOTORIST (fleeing): Yikcs! SECOND MOTORIST: I showed him! (To his children in the back scat:) Kids could you look on the floor and sec if you can find daddy's car? But it turns out that Miami does have practicing sword-fighteThey belong to the Renaissance Historical Society of Florida a group of people who wear costumes and pretend they're living during the Renaissance The Renaissance — us you recall from not spelling it correctly one single time in your entire academic career — was the historical period that started in the 15th century at approximately 3:30 pm when humanity after centuries of being cooped up in the Dark Ages finally stumbled out into the light and got a rs whiff of its own armpits and said "Whoa! Time to invent cologne!" This was followed by tremendous advances in science philosophy literature and paintings of nuked women On a recent Sunday afternoon I watched members of the Renaissance I majorities a Republican caucus invariably mirrors the governing body's ultimate actions So in effect the public is left out of the around swinging large realistic swords at each other and yelling Renaissance insults such as — this is an actual insult they yelled — “You snotmuffin!” When they were done I talked to two of the organizers Roger Zollo and Kyle Mathews about the Renaissance movement which involves groups and festivals all over the country “We try to be as period as possible" said Zollo “Although we do bathe” noted Math-cw- s Business reporting treacherous By Bruce Smith Herald Journal publisher Q VkJometimes the newspaper just canit win Writing feature stories or news articles situaabout local businesses is a tion for us More often than not the businesses we write about think our stories are unfair and emphasize the negative rather than the positive In addition competitors of the featured business no-w- in are often upset because their business was not selected Last Sunday's business feature about a husband-and-wi- fe real estate sales team Carolyn and Keith Koskan is a good example of the newspaper writing what we believed was a unique and interesting business story that resulted in everyone being upset with the newspaper including the subjects of the article the Koskans Anyone who read the article would agree that for the most part the writer painted a very favorable picture of the real estate sales efforts of the Koskans The headline called them a “Winning Team” The article talked at length about how hard they work and how innovative they are It pointed out that they have been recognized in their company as being top producers in selling real estate in Cache Valley However the Koskans were a bit upset at the newspaper for an analogy the writer of the article Mike Ingraham used In an effort to make the story interesting and to communicate to the our readers the competitive nature of the real estate business he compared the office in which the Koskans work to a “pond full of sharks" Needless to say the characterization newspaper further complicates our business reporting Businesses expect us to put a “smiley face” on anything we write about them in the newspaper Sometimes that is hard to do We by to tell it like it is and when it isn't totally positive most newspaper publishing businesses are not a bit bashful about letgood newspaper often know us of their unhappiness ting us in no-wi- n the comments I have heard to Contrary this past week we did not write about the Koskans because they spend a lot of in the newspaper It the reporter used about his impression of money advertising work doesn't that way As a matter that real estate office didn't make many just fact telling a reporter or an editor that of people happy The real estate agents a business should receive special treatwithin the office were upset The Koskans were unhappy because it has ment because they are an advertiser is created a rather jense relationship among usually the kiss of death for any news consideration The advertising departtheir fellow sales agents ment’s job and the editorial department's for the Unfortunately newspaper they job are completely separate from one were not the only ones upset On Monanother It is important that they remain day morning after the story ran in the we received separate because if we allowed our numerous calls and paper advertisers to influence who we write from other real estate messages about and what we say we would cerofficesAmong other things they claimed that the article was blatantly unfair to all tainly soon lose all credibility with our the other agents in the valley and readers Our editorial staff chose to write about claimed that for the newspaper to single out one agent for a feature story “is the Koskans because a reporter or an ediunheard of” Many of them sarcastically tor somehow became aware that they asked how they could get on the list to were doing what appeared to be some be featured in any future article the unique things with their customers and newspaper may decide to write about were having success in selling houses real estate agents Others accused the Our feature editor drought it would be an newspaper of playing favorites because interesting business story for our weekly the Koskans have been good advertising Enterprise page customers of the newspaper We think our subscribers expect us to The result has been that by writing a provide them not only with information story that featured a husband-and-withey can use to make decisions in their team who have been quite successful lives but with information that is interselling real estate in the valley the newsesting factual and accurate including paper managed to make almost every information about the business commureal estate sales person and real estate nity office in town angry with us We don’t purposely write things to This past week's experience in writing offend people We just want to publish a about two local business people is a good newspaper and publishing a good good example of why writing any kind newspaper often puts us in a no-wof business- - or consumer-relate- d story is a very difficult thing for the newspaper The fact that most businesses in the Bruce Smith's column appears on the Opinion valley are advertising customers of the page every other Sunday We don’t purposely write things to offend people We just want to publish a good and a puts a ail fe “Right" agreed Zollo “We don't want to smell Renaissance" The wear authentic costumes which means the men wear tights (And before I hear any snickering from you guys out there who think men look silly in tights I have two words for you: “golf pants”) The Renaissance men also wear codpieces which are pieces of cloth that cover up a man's urn codpiece area Zollo and Mathews told me that some guys make their own codpieces and personalize them: One guy esrnsesemememmmmmmmmiirmmmjmmHiiitmmmmmm made a fuzzy red codpiece that squeaked from the National Association of Realif you squeezed it (My feeling about that tors “We very much value those relais if you have a squeaking codpiece you tionships” had heller have a really big sword) The Koskan Team greatly supports The Renaissance people also spend a To the editor and appreciates their relations within the lot of lime learning authentic swordfightIn regards to the article “In the rockin' office of Coldwell Banker Gold Key ing techniques I have an interest in this sockin' real estate game Keith and CarRealty and with the Cache Rich Associatopic dating back to 1964 when my olyn Koskan make a Winning Team’’ we tion of Realtors “I am proud to be assofriend Lanny Watts talked me into join- need to make some clarifications with such ciated professionals and ing the Pleasantville High School fencThe article was written with the intent hardworking colleagues” ing club This was a serious competitive to let the public know what services The article made an analogy using club but Lanny and I frankly did not “The Koskan Team” offers and how they sharks and the phrase “Brrr — COLD-wel- l” have the correct attitude a fact that run their business along with their perin conjunction with realtors This became clear when it came time to form sonal life was not a quote from the Koskans It was into pairs and practice a basic fencing the author's own words describing how They are a team (private corporation) technique Lanny was paired against one within a team (Coldwell Banker Gold he perceives the competitiveness of the within a team (Cache Rich business See BARRY on Page 11 Key Realty) Realtors work with and depend upon Association of Realtors) with support Your viow Realty article spawned some misconceptions Mallard Fillmoro 17 V r NCAA &&ermi'1boawm‘ te rtte ot 'jV&se ittey Gkrt' Jtotttetm FtA -- too Aticteraapj -- As OpfWSD mW1 iaotfactf—Aw flAyes? lmsstHat lioftay M c J&O0T col rasp Herald Journal ft? ‘myomaywc CoMM rttrs 1 KHBBHIiBlim The Opinion page Is Intended to acquaint readers with a variety of viewpoints on m altera of public Importance and provide members of the community with a forum for their views Personal columns cartoons and letters from readers reflect the opinions of their writers and creators Editorials under the heading "Our View" represent the vlewa of the Herald Journal editorial board Members of the editorial board: BRUCE SMITHpubtoher CHARLES McCOLLUMmanaglng editor MIKE WENNERGREMdty editor CINDY YURTHfeatures editor &i— f Rwg Husm B m— W M in each other We are proud to subscribe to the Realtors Guide Code of Ethics and the standards that the Real Estate Professional represent” The caption with the article being a “big fish in a small pond” was a phrase Keith and I used in describing why we relocated our family to beautiful Cache Valley from a metropolitan city “It would allow for more family school and community involvement” Please accept our apology for any mis- conceptions the article caused Thank you for the support and friendships Keith and Carolyn Koskan Smithfield tvummm The Herald Journal welcomes letters to the editor Potentially llbeloua or offensive letters will not be published however and the editor reserves the right to edit all letters to conform to the length and style requirements of the newspaper Letters should be: d Typewritten and No mots than 450 words In length Addressed and Include daytime phone number lor purposes of verification Signed by the author Individuals are limited to one published letter within any y period Address letters to hJletterOhJnewscom Quest commentaries ara also welcome and are run at the editor's discretion double-space- 30-da- |