The other day, I posted about a fun way interested readers could support All Things Appleton. In response I was told by someone who apparently didn’t read, but in some way was still able to imbibe what I wrote, that I’m not a journalist and therefore don’t have “readers”. The subtext was I don’t deserve Jeremy Boreing’s sports car and shouldn’t have asked willing readers to click this link to buy a Jeremy’s Razors shave kit at $12 off and Daily Wire membership at 35% off.
https://www.jeremysrazors.com/link/?share=JH3MNH9
I feel this response deserves a little unpacking.
I have a dream to win an impractical sports car worth 3x the value of my house so I can cruise College Avenue and get ticketed by Appleton’s new traffic safety officer. It’s a simple dream a person doesn’t need to be a journalist to hold.
Beyond that, the idea that journalists have “readers” while social media pages have “followers” is definitionally absurd and not supported by any dictionary I’ve ever followed.
Also, I should point out I’m not a social media page. I’m a human being whose life would be markedly improved by owning a McLaren 600LT Spider, so click this link and buy a Jeremy’s Razors shave kit and Daily Wire membership: https://www.jeremysrazors.com/link/?share=JH3MNH9
While I do indeed have followers (over 1,300 at this moment) I suspect at least some of them are also readers.
My story regarding self-proclaimed progressive Alderperson Schultz posting about holding conservative backlash in check was responded to by Alderperson Schultz. He was a reader.
My overly in-depth 14-page write-up on the Core’s Lounge alcohol license revocation hearing that I thought nobody would care about was shared by a shocking number of Hmong community members all mocking the owner for his lack of business acumen. They were readers.
The post in which I tried to figure out why 5 alderpersons refused to support a church constructing a new building on property it had owned for nearly 30 years garnered responses from two alderpersons. They were readers.
The many Facebook commenters who latched on to Michael’s ill-fated quest to get a variance for his unpermitted and code-breaking driveway extension were readers.
A number of parents reached out to me privately after I tried to gain some clarity on AASD’s trans policy and thanked me for digging into that. They were readers.
The many people who loved, hated, praised, mocked, and mourned the Big Head Sculpture were readers.
To be fair, the story I looked into specifically at Jaime the Follower’s request didn’t garner much interest beyond her.
At any rate, those are just a smattering of stories that have prompted comments, sharing, and discussions over the past two years, none of which would have happened if nobody read All Things Appleton.
I believe strongly that government functions best when citizens are informed and engaged. This is true for all levels of government—federal, state, and local. All Things Appleton is my attempt to be engaged and informed personally and to facilitate that for others. I guess when I was reading—pardon me, “following”—the manual, I missed the part where it said journalisming school was a requisite to helping people become informed about what was happening in local government.
I also missed the part where journalisming school was a requisite to asking willing readers to click on this link and support me in my quest to win Jeremy Boreing’s McLaren by purchasing a discounted Jeremy’s Razors shave kit and a Daily Wire membership.
https://www.jeremysrazors.com/link/?share=JH3MNH9
Frankly, Appletonians could do worse than becoming acquainted with the political commentators and thought leaders at the Daily Wire.
Matt Walsh is currently driving the narrative on transgender issues, so whether or not you agree with him, it would be to your benefit to watch “What Is A Woman” so you can at least know what he’s saying.
Andrew Klavan is a well-read, well-watched, well-spoken intellectual creative, and if (as many in Appleton do) you value the literary and visual arts, you’ll find yourself enriched by his brand of humor and his artistic and philosophical takes on the world and current events.
Candace Owens is one of the more prominent black conservative voices today. Whether or not you like her, those who value diversity and inclusion (as many in Appleton do) would do well to check her out since she’s an example of a successful and independent BIPOC woman.
Michael Knowles is super even keeled, laid back, and nice. I think it’s important and useful to listen to differing viewpoints even if you will never agree with those views. If you have a hard time listening to conservatives, Michael would be a good place to start.
Ben Shapiro is currently sporting a beard that it looks like he drew on his face with a marker, and he can go straight to hell. Don’t watch his show.
The reality is, Appleton is a very purple city. Perhaps it would behoove local residents to gain a better understanding of what their political opponents believe rather than rioting outside the Republican campaign headquarters, which, to their shame, some Appletonians did.
A Daily Wire membership is an easy way to gain that understanding, and you can get 35% off (and help me win a sports car worth 3 times the value of my house) by following this link: https://www.jeremysrazors.com/link/?share=JH3MNH9
In conclusion, I listen to and recap a large number of local government meetings on both great and small issues, and I do so in a much more comprehensive manner than the local news is able to do. The idea that doing this requires some kind of special accreditation is absurd, ignorant, and, frankly, deeply and fundamentally illiberal and un-American. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press apply to everyone, not just an accredited few.
Again, willing readers can support the service I provide by using this link to purchase a Jeremy’s Razors shave kit for $12 off and a Daily Wire membership for 35% off. I’ve got a lot of traffic tickets I need to rack up, so please help.
https://www.jeremysrazors.com/link/?share=JH3MNH9
I have been a long-time reader of All Things Appleton. Why? Because you actually cover the nitty-gritty details of what goes on in a city on a day-to-day basis that the average citizen has no clue on.
You fill a void that the Gannett newspapers have gaping open. I subscribe to the digital version only to keep abreast of the headlines, and even then it’s sketchy. Take the trail that would go under the power lines off Roeland – I know people who live along there that have no idea the project is canceled. I sent them here.
To this end I am extremely grateful for all you do. If someone is going to get hung up on the word “journalist” then maybe they actually need to act like one! As for your contest… I have hunted long and wide and have great razors, so I will pass. But am more than glad to buy you a coffee or another beverage.
To this end I am extremely grateful.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
I do what I do as a hobby out of passion because I like keeping up with local politics, so I won’t be broken hearted if I don’t win the contest, but feel free to share with your friends.