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Be wary of strong opinions

5 min read

As an opinion columnist, I struggle between being distrustful of forceful opinions, and the expectation that, as an opinion columnist, I actually present forceful opinions of my own sometimes. And argue them well, too.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried write a column about an important issue and struggled to clarify my argument-to put my foot down strongly on one side or the other. It’s been the case for topics ranging from Marcellus Shale drilling to whether or not we should say “Merry Christmas.”

On the second issue, I can sympathize with the point of view of Christians who want to honor the birth of Jesus with a “Merry Christmas.” I can also understand how people of other religions would feel ostracized this time of year-like their religion is secondary. I can see the plusses and the pitfalls of Marcellus Shale drilling.

I’ll say this: being a print opinion columnist is so much easier than being a web one. Especially for a paper like the Herald-Standard, which has given me tons of freedom to write what I want, how I want to write it.

Before this, I wrote an opinion column that was syndicated mostly online, and even back then (2006 or so) my goal was to get “clicks.”

I needed to court controversy because people love a good controversial article, whether they agree with the premise or not (some people just like to be angry; others want to watch drama unfold). When they spot a controversial headline, they compulsively click, and voila! More advertising revenue for the publisher.

Now, eight years later, it’s way worse. It’s gotten to the point where it’s tough to determine if opinion columnists even believe what they write, or if they’re just aiming to be as controversial as possible to secure their jobs.

That’s one reason to be wary of some opinion columnists — particularly of big media personalities like Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly and Bill Maher, who have made careers out of controversy.

But back to me.

I actually wanted to write the “should we say Merry Christmas?” column today, but as I said, I found it difficult to fall firmly on one side or the other.

One thing I do now, though? I’m firmly against the people who turn the debate into an excuse to be angry and combative, to vent their holiday-related stress, or as an excuse to assert their intellectual dominance.

I credit one of the commenters on the Herald-Standard Facebook page for redirecting my column’s focus today.

Mary Beth Zavislan Kerekes said, very simply and smartly: “If you really care [whether people say ‘Happy Holidays’ or ‘Merry Christmas,’ you’re missing the point of Christmas.”

It seems simple, right? If we politicize the holiday, doesn’t it lessen the magic of the holidays for everyone?

It’s similar with the debate of whether or not retail stores should be open on Thanksgiving/Christmas/etc. We all get so caught up in arguing whether or not people should be made to work on the holidays, we forget to thank the actual workers — who are working regardless of who makes the best logical points on the issue of whether or not they should be working.

While we dig into our turkey or open another bottle of wine and bicker with relatives about whether people should work the holidays, these people are making sure the wheels of society keep spinning. The CEOs of Fortune 500 companies don’t do that; nor do the media personalities who argue about it.

I wonder how many people will literally debate whether people should work the holidays while in the checkout line at WalMart on Christmas Eve. I wonder how many will not even glance at the employee standing right in front of them.

This isn’t just retail industry, but the people working in healthcare, too.

People like my boyfriend, who will be working on Christmas, delivering and repairing oxygen tanks for sick people who have just been released from the hospital. And all the people who will keep the hospitals running, too — from doctors and nurses to maintenance workers.

And the gas station attendants who will be working on Christmas Day to make sure you can get to Grandma’s house.

A simple “thank you” can make a huge, real, immediate difference — more than 1,000 words of Internet commentary can accomplish.

After all, these are not abstract ideas; they are people.

And the strongest of opinions, I worry, sometimes do not take these real people into account. It becomes more about being “right,” about one-upping someone with your superior intellect and logic…or about getting clicks from bored Internet surfers.

Have a safe and happy holidays, everyone!

Jessica Vozel is originally from Perryopolis and, after attending graduate school and teaching in Ohio, now works as a freelance journalist and copywriter in the Pittsburgh area.

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