Even if he’s never read this newspaper.


OK, that’s actually the second question I get. The first is “Why are there so many mistakes in newspapers?’’ (it’s part of a contest, with the 27th caller winning a trip to Chechnya) or “Why did you change the TV book?’’


There are those, like my Uncle Bill, who think we’re a liberal publication. “Fair and balanced!” he scoffs about our opinion columns.


Critics point to columns by The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd and local bad boy Gil Smart as examples, but pass over Charles Krauthammer and Kathleen Parker, who are certainly on the opposite end of the political spectrum, or the majority of our religion columnists, who come down on the conservative side. I guess it’s the sheer force of Miss Dowd’s and Mr. Smart’s personalities that make them stand out.


Editorially, we are independent, meaning we might take a liberal approach — on the editorial page — to an issue one Sunday and a conservative approach to another issue the next, or go our own unique way. For the most part, our editorials deal with local issues. Once we straighten out the county commissioners, we’ll tackle the Middle East.


A reader should NOT detect political leanings in our news columns.


But critics of the “elite media’’ are quick to say we’re probably staffed by a bunch of anti-Bush liberals, so that whatever we do has a bias.


Well?




THE SURVEY




In an anonymous and strictly volunteer survey of the staff, (we have 19 full- and 11 part-time employees), we found: - By a nearly 3-1 margin, the staff voted for Sen. John Kerry over President George Bush in the last presidential election.


- Pro-choice, pro-life? The staff is almost 2-1 pro-choice. This question brought notes of regret from both sides, such as the one from a staff member who marked pro-choice but added “reluctantly.’’


Damning, you say, but read on.


- Democrats and Republicans can be found in equal numbers. The total is less than 50 percent for the major parties because 25 percent of those answering are independents. Two people marked “other.’’


- By a wide majority, we think of ourselves as political moderates. One moderate added “contrarian’’; another staff member answers to “progressive.’’ Only two admitted to being — gasp — liberal.


This is an instance where labels are in the eye of the beholder. Overhearing office debates, I think we have a few more liberals and several conservatives in the ranks. - Two out of three said they attend church regularly, with the spread of denominations being very, very wide, including two people who attend independent churches. Five people are evangelicals, a term that is much misunderstood. There are two atheists and four agnostics on board. The biggest bloc is the four people who admit to being United Methodists.


So is our staff that different from our readers? Certainly, we were different in the way we voted in the last presidential election. But a higher percentage of us regularly attend church, we’re torn on the issue of abortion, and as for political affiliation, we’re dead even. What we are is independent, with that streak being a mile wide, and we aim to cover news without fear or favor to anyone.


Marv Adams invites your questions. You can send them by e-mail to madams@lnpnews.com or mail to: Sunday News, Box 1328, Lancaster, Pa. 17608-1328. blog comments powered by Disqus