A preacher was once newly appointed pastor to a church with well to do parishioners. Wanting to impress his congregation, on the first Sunday, he preached a sermon on, “The Evils of Drinking”. After the Service was over, the Head Deacon called him aside and said, “Son, that was a beautiful sermon, but I feel I should warn you that one third of our Congregation own vineyards.” So the next Sunday, the preacher dwelt on, “The Evils of Smoking”. But just as before, the Head Deacon called him aside and said, “Son, I must warn you once again that one third of our parishioners grow tobacco”. The third Sunday, the preacher dwelt on, “The Evils of Gambling”. But again, the Head Deacon told him, “Son, the last third of our congregation own racehorses”. So, on the fourth Sunday, the preacher gave a sermon on, “The Evils of Fishing in the International Waters of a Foreign Country”.
Submitting letters to newspapers anywhere in the world is a dicey business. It must be relevant to the day to day issues facing the readers; it must reach the bare minimum literary standard required by every paper; and the tone must be in consonance with the views and ideas of the Editor and Owner of the paper.
I narrated the above story to illustrate how doubly hard it is for writers of the letters to Newspapers in Nagaland to dwell on topics which will not hurt the sentiments of some section or the other of the many tribes and organisations that Nagaland is either Blessed or Cursed with. And I’m sure our Editors receive numerous letters on the many issues plaguing Nagaland, but again, the poor Editors must make the choices that the preacher in the above story had to make, i.e. print every letter that they think may interest the general public and ignore the fact that some section of the people or some organisation may be displeased with them; or print only the letters which don’t displease anyone.
And therein lies the rub. For the news, apart from a few details and emphases, is the same in every newspaper; and it is the feedback from the readers that they print that gives every newspaper its distinctive tone and character. God forbid that the Newspapers in Nagaland should ever turn into pale imitations of each other.
GOD SAVE MY NAGALAND
Kahuto Chishi Sumi G.B. Hevishe Village, Dimapur
