In a front page article in the issue, "Weland, Victorious, Sworn In – Gets Right to Work", I detailed the involvement of the "Betterment Committee" group on Facebook, in the recent elections of Councilman Mike Weland, Councilman Tony Axtel; and Mayor Boyd, and the group's accomplishments, and the subsequent waning of its influence on local politics – as well as the rise of the alternative group, "Eagle Grove Empowerment."
As Editor of the local newspaper, I was a member of the Betterment Committee group, but as an observer only, and never posted to the group. When I was removed from the group (among others during the late January purge of members I referenced in the front page article), I reached out to the administrator of the group, Laura Dicke, and expressed to her that as a reporter, I was neither a supporter or opponent of the group. I cannot report her response, because it was off the record. However she did not reinstate me to the group. And as I stated in the front page article, my analysis of those who were removed from the group shows most were not vocally supportive of the group, or vocally opposed to its apparent agendas.
By taking the group private and failing to reinstate my membership as a member of the local press, Dicke has chosen to hide the discourse in the group from the press, and thus the public. Which, I must stress, is entirely within the group's rights. But it is clearly not in keeping with the group's stated stance on public transparency.
I am also a member of the Empowerment Group, again primarily as an observer, and several other community groups as well (including another Dicke administers) in my efforts to keep my fingers on the pulse of the community. I try to limit my involvement in any such groups to either professional, as an observer, and in general to limit my posting to publicizing activities and coverage by the Eagle and my streaming radio station, Eagle Grove Classic Hits.
I may also engage or comment as a private citizen on occasion, though I do make an effort to stay out of contentious or controversial matters on social media, reserving my involvement in such matters to my role as Editor of the Eagle. Meaning I will either just observe, or report on it, and if I did have an opinion I wished to express, I would do so in a professional manner, in the form of a print editorial, or broadcast commentary.
To be clear, since I became a local news reporter I have strived to separate my personal relationships from my professional relationships, to maintain objectivity in my reporting. Meaning I may have both a professional relationship with a person, as well as a personal one. And my having a friendly or polite relationship with someone personally, does not mean I would not report on their activities in a way they might not appreciate.
I am friendly with people I disagree with on many things, as I think we all are, as human beings. Some of these relationships are acquaintances, others I consider to be friends. And I tend to personally admire the courage it takes to step into the public limelight, and take an active role in our communities, from the local realm all the way to the international realm. Even when I might disagree with them, or when it may fall to me to report on them, whether that reportage may be complimentary, or not.
But one opinion I do hold very openly is that I disapprove of the spreading of lies and disinformation. And that is unfortunately very common on social media, particularly where politics is concerned. And when people resort to deliberate untruths in the pursuit of a political or personal agenda, or engage knowingly in spreading such untruths, or choose because of their political affiliation or personal prejudices to believe such falsehoods despite evidence to the contrary, those are not activities I can personally admire.
Professionally, it is part of my mission as a local journalist to expose such activity, and to debunk disinformation, especially on the local level. In that regard, I am compelled to report that the mudslinging that was prevalent in the "Betterment" group when I was still able to observe it was often based on accusations made without evidence. And that the administrators of the group made no effort to suppress such potentially slanderous or defamatory commentary, even allowing it to be done anonymously without consequence. And that sometimes the Administrators made the posts themselves, or expressed support for the posters. And while I cannot support that either personally or professionally, I must say I did support their efforts to bring more transparency to the City Council meetings through live streaming. Both personally and professionally, and very openly. And I continue to consider that a positive achievement of the group.
And, while the "Empowerment Group" is declaratively focused on positive activities and initiatives, it appears to actually have many of the same stated objectives as the "Betterment" group did. So, for the record, my personal opinion is that I appreciate efforts to perform positive public services, and I support true transparency in government, and honest public discourse. And I hope members of this community will continue to strive to make a positive difference. And that goes for the members of both the "Betterment" and "Empowerment" groups, or any others who organize in pursuit of positive goals, whatever the platform they use. So long as they stay positive, and tell the truth.
Editor's note: this article has been edited to correct typos, and for clarity.
