I’ve been talking to readers via this weekly column for nearly four years and I’ve heard from thousands of readers who write to share their views.
None so reliably as a west Michigan reader I’ll call “Hans.” Whether the topic is COVID, the economy, University of Michigan football, climate change or … whatever … Hans is usually right there with a retort.
“Dude – are you really drinking the Kool-Aid?”
“Lame take, buddy – MLive has culpability for the dumbing down of Michigan’s kids….”
“How long are you going to track COVID, LOL? Not going to sustain much of a career if you keep rehashing this same old stuff.”
Like my family around the Thanksgiving table, it’s not all provocation and antagonism: There is genuine caring in there, too. When I wrote about a beloved MLive colleague’s death and the effect on our staff, he wrote with his condolences. After one of our journalists was shot in the face with riot pellets by a Detroit cop, his initial response – suggesting our employee was at fault – turned into a thoughtful discussion of interactions with police.
We learned in our exchanges over the years that we both went to small private colleges in Michigan and likely played tennis against one another, representing our schools. When I wrote last Memorial Day about my dad’s experiences in the Korean War, Hans shared personal anecdotes about the toll of that war on his father.
Hans and I seem to agree on little, but that’s OK because I’m not here to make converts. I want that which seems elusive: Civil conversation, debate from differing viewpoints and a commitment to exploring the issues and challenges faced by our communities.
And beneath the goading, it’s clear that Hans reads MLive and he cares about the issues we’re covering. He’s not alone: I’ve had a lot of feedback on topics I’ve written in the past month. Here’s what’s been on your mind.
Michigan as a ‘climate haven’
“We moved from the West – SF Bay Area and wildfires were our tipping point. I worry about Michigan’s lack of preparedness, as outlined in your letter. It’s something that needs to be continually acknowledged and we need to take action.” – Kate
“Even if that were to be the case, what makes you think that will be enough to cause a migration of millions to Michigan? Don't you realize that Michigan has experienced net out-migration during the entire period of warming so far? I enjoy your publication, even if occasionally, as this morning, it's for a few chuckles.” – Chris
“We moved from our home of 20 years in Henderson, Nev., to Williamsburg, Mich. In Nevada we lived one mile from Lake Mead and saw daily how the water was receding. Las Vegas is a valley and all the smoke from California, Oregon, Arizona etc., was trapped there. We realized how unlikely the area was to be livable due to lack of water. We researched communities and states to move to for many years, and we are very happy that we chose this area. “– Dia
Bay City bridge conundrum
“I grew up in Bay City and the best part of the bridges was that when you came home after curfew, you had a solid unarguable excuse; i.e. “I caught a boat!” What parent could argue that?” – Sandy
“Drive over to the next bridge and cross. It’ll cost you an extra $.50 in fuel. A very simple way for silent protest. Let the city eat the cost of repairing the bridge. They forgot to think about the big picture.“ – Paul
The future of newspapers
“I am a longtime reader of The Grand Rapids Press, the print version preferred and hope it stays that way. We want to support local journalism and know you have a great team of reporters around the state.” – Jim
“What bothers me more than anything is that a huge swatch of our population does not get their news from any source or cannot differentiate between trusted news sources and those with an agenda. Without competent journalists alerting us to issues both local and beyond, our republic is in real danger.” – Bruce
Ottawa County politics
“We thank God that conservatives have a safe haven here in Ottawa County. Please keep your communist opinions to yourself and take me off your email list.” – Thomas
“Just as Joe Moss can do what he thought the people wanted, I have the right to comment at the meetings. I also have the right to start a recall petition.” – Phil
“Your letter is weak, as you show no courage. What the Impact board members did was appalling. You should be taking a stand against these dangerous people.” – Len
Do you have something you’d like to say? I’m happy to hear your thoughts on issues that matter. Write me here, at editor@mlive.com and let’s keep the conversation going.
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John Hiner is the vice president of content for MLive Media Group. If you have questions you’d like him to answer, or topics to explore, share your thoughts at editor@mlive.com.
