Trump dump in progress

The Trump dump is in full swing today in the newspaper industry.
Newspapers—small, medium, and large—once courageous enough to take my independent-minded letters and commentaries now won’t go near them with a ten-foot pole. Most can’t bear to explain why. It’s too embarrassing.
Long committed to journalistic integrity and reporting of diverse views, many are accepting the national political mantra in the media industry that says, “If MAGA would be offended, don’t publish it.” The newspaper might be subject to mild to severe punishment, like loss of revenue, violent threats, or lawsuits.
Very few are candid with me and suggest they are feeling the pressure of Trump’s fingers around their necks. Others clearly are feeling the loss of already scarce advertising revenue, the fleeing away of subscribers who only want to read one particular point of view or who want everybody to keep up with the current administration’s hard swing to the far-right.
In the past, papers dropped my submissions somewhat understandably when new editors took the helm, or when I stepped on sacred cows’ toes like business or banking, Israel in Gaza, or local denominational religion having their heads in the sand.
Today, the new freedom of the press is freedom from rationality, freedom from historical perspective, freedom from science, freedom from honesty and evidence, freedom from conscience, freedom from law, freedom from bipartisanship, freedom from “outsider” submissions, . . . freedom from . . . well . . . actual freedom.
One paper tipped its hat to me pretty clearly. Previously publishing many pieces from me over many years, the last submission this paper published from me was in November 2024, when a certain politician came into power and started throwing his weight around.
This is a story of capitulation, of surrender, of the process of becoming collaborators with the rich and powerful and brutal forces in society, and abandoners of the poor and the less powerful.
My hope is that the newspaper industry will not rest in peace but will be prodded by the citizenry to become responsible leaders of democracy once again someday.

Kimball Shinkoskey

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