In 1970, after a forced retirement at the age of 65, Maggie Kuhn embarked on a new adventure — advocating for the rights of the elderly as the founder of the Gray Panthers. By the time of her death at 89, the organization had been instrumental in implementing nursing home reforms, ending forced retirement provisions and combating fraud against the elderly in health care.
Kuhn’s quote was a message for activists seeking change. Speak your mind — even if your voice shakes, and do your homework so you aren’t just spouting off a bunch of opinions.
Speaking up for yourself or for a cause can be terrifying, especially in a culture that often actively embraces the loudest, most belligerent voice in the room, or when speaking up puts your security, your job, your relationships, or even your life at risk.
If you’re in the position of listening (as we all should be … God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason) give special heed to those shaky voices — the quiet ones, the ones with little to gain and a lot to lose. The ones with no ulterior motive for profit or power or praise. They’re likely to be the ones speaking the truth.
Thank you to the kind souls who’ve donated to the cause of the newspaper in the last year either financially or with encouraging words to keep doing the work we do. We appreciate you.
Leave safety behind. Put your body on the line. Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind–even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say. Well-aimed slingshots can topple giants. And do your homework.”
~ Maggie Kuhn
On a newspaper housekeeping note, beginning in July, the newspaper will accomplish something we’ve all been aiming for: it will get taller and skinnier.
The closure of the printing press at the GJ Sentinel necessitates we transfer our printing operations to a newer press in Montrose, which will require a change in the size of the paper. It’s happened before, evidenced by the varying sizes of archived volumes in our vault, and it will probably happen again before print eventually goes the way of the dinosaur (hopefully not on our watch).
The other change coming will be a stricter adherence to our Monday deadline, as our press time will be earlier on Wednesday. We’ll always attempt to squeeze in breaking news items, last minute obituaries and the like, but it’s going to be more difficult to do so with an earlier press time.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
