Someone a lot wiser than an Ole Seagull said, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Although perhaps not soon enough for some, the Ole Seagull’s “appointed time” as a columnist has come to an end.
He could write a lot of words about why, but in the final analysis it is simply because he thinks it is the right thing to do in terms of his current personal and business situation. Does that mean he will stop expressing his opinion?
Absolutely not! He will continue to submit his opinions, on a regular basis, as a “Letter to the Editor” under exactly the same conditions as any other reader of this paper could do.
Some might ask, “What’s the difference, they are both opinions?” In an Ole Seagull’s mind, the difference isn’t much and what difference there is relates not to “what” is being written, but in “who” wrote it. The same opinion, written by a “columnist” for the paper and written by a reader as a “Letter to the Editor” could result in different perceptions, connotations, and impacts.
That aside however, to an Ole Seagull, his job as an opinion columnist was to honestly express his opinion in the hopes that it would generate discussion within the community about that topic. His columns, as is the case of the vast majority of columns written by opinion columnists, are what they are, simply the opinion of the columnist, even as a “Letter to the Editor” is, but the opinion of the person writing the letter.
An opinion column, like a “Letter to the Editor,” is not a treatise intending to fairly cover both sides of an issue nor is it necessarily balanced, fair, or unbiased. It is hopefully, something the writer knows about, cares about, and feels passionately about, written in a manner that will be interesting to the reader. Is it necessarily something that most people will agree with? No, but in the vast majority of cases, it will be something that virtually everyone will either agree or disagree with based on their own understanding.
From an Ole Seagull’s perspective, it has never been about the “columnist” or whether people agreed or disagreed with his columns. What mattered to him was that he had done his best to express honest opinions and make sure that the column contained the basis upon which those opinions were based so that they could be evaluated by the readers. Isn’t that the same standard that should be applied to “Letters to the Editor?”
Previously the Ole Seagull has pointed out that he has, on occasion, been questioned about what qualifications he possessed that qualified him to his write his opinions and why anyone should pay any attention to them. In order, he answered “only his life’s experience” and “they shouldn’t unless, one way or the other, they have evaluated those opinions and find them useful in their own decision making process.” It would be his opinion that those answers could apply to the value people should give to “Letters to the Editor.”
Some have asked if the Ole Seagulls writings will be posted on the internet any more. The answer is “Yes.” After this week, they will no longer be posted as editorials at www.BransonCourier.com or as posts on 1Branson.com, but they will be posted on the Ole Seagull’s website, www.TheOleSeagull.Com. In addition, The Ole Seagull, along with millions of others also “tweets” as "theoleseagull" on Twitter.Com.
For the opportunity, encouragement and help he has received over the years an Ole Seagull is eternally grateful and thankful. In terms of what he has written and how he has written it he will rely on the words Abraham Lincoln who said, “If the end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”
