Letters to Maurice

Maurice Jones is the publisher of the Virginian Pilot. He recently wrote that

Almost everywhere I go these days, somebody greets me with the words, “I am praying for you.” Usually, I thank them and hesitatingly ask what they see in me that is in need of divine intervention.

The most common answer? They’re praying for me to succeed at “keeping The Pilot from going out of business.”

As a helpful sort, I thought he could use some support. Here is my contribution...

Dear Maurice,

In view of the cutbacks at the Virginian Pilot, I have decided that you could use a cadre of volunteers to develop story ideas for your paper.

Here’s my first suggestion: how about a story and an outraged editorial about the government’s decision to try the jihadists we hold via military tribunals? That’s the present government, not the previous administration.

Or, if you don’t want to go that far, how about the record breaking deficits? Again, the present government, not the previous administration.

Or, the growing chorus of demands for special tax breaks for newspapers? Is that a tax break you could learn to love? Is that the change you were hoping for?

Whew, I’m exhausted. Time to take a break … back soon.