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URBANNA — Changing from writing humor to political opinion in 1988 got the attention of a few people who were highly offended at the idea that a local woman dared to write her opinion in the newspaper and sign her name.
Another source of irritation of which I soon learned was the fact I was from Ohio. It probably wasn’t a specific bias against Ohio, just the fact I was a “come here” in general.
But again, I had to accept the fact that someone newly arrived in my hometown in Ohio from Virginia that started writing their opinion in my hometown paper would probably have received the same negative response. Like I said earlier, people are the same everywhere and even 40 years ago small town America was much more provincial regarding accepting newcomers than we are now.
Also, “they” might be too liberal, or too conservative. But probably not too conservative. One can’t be too conservative.
But an outsider might not respect our rural traditions or values. We can’t have such a person writing opinion in “our” newspaper! Thus, I’m not sure which was worse — being a woman or being from Ohio.
I looked in the mirror after penning my first controversial opinion. I saw fear in those brown Buckey eyes. Good old-fashioned fear. Could I dare follow dreams, could I risk being hated and scorned? Did I have the strength to be a writer, to possibly be publicly humiliated, scorned, perhaps crucified for expressing my opinion?
Yes! I felt the strength and courage stir deep within me, like a sleeping mouse in the cushions of my brain that awakened and roared! Yes! I would become a writer no matter what toll it took! I will follow my dreams!
Almost immediately, as if called to action by the roaring mouse, the late Earl Barr marched into the Sentinel and banged his fist on the editor’s desk. “Who does she think she is?!” he was reported to have said. What especially irritated him was that I dared to sign my name on my column. What kind of a woman would do such a thing?
I laughed but there were others that felt the same way. They believed a woman’s place was in the kitchen (cooking up fattening dishes that would eventually clog their husbands’ arteries) and had no business thinking about political issues let alone opining on them.
Still, I wanted to please readers. I wrote down goals: Stay away from political dogma (talking points) or allegiance to either political party, keep in mind there is more than one way to look at an issue, stay open-minded, be willing to change an opinion when new facts emerged, be myself with every word I write, do my own thinking ever understanding many people resist all change and remember — change comes slowly.
I made many mistakes. One lesson learned was never to write an opinion column when you are angry.
This happened to me when coming back to town after a long vacation. I was sitting in church one Sunday and learned a local woman teacher had been raped by one of her students. I was so angry I returned even after hearing the gentle Christian sermon to love one’s neighbor and be forgiving of others and wrote a blood curdling opinion.
I advised women to buy a gun, learn how to use it and if anyone attacked them, take out the gun, aim between the eyes and go BANG-BANG!
It shocked everyone. Even I was shocked. (The mouse in my brain fainted!) Over my column in large print was a notice that opinions expressed in the paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff. Reporter Tom Chillemi started calling me “bang bang Buxton,” a sobriquet that thankfully did not stick.
Even the sheriff got into the act. The next week there was a letter to the editor from him offering to teach anyone who needed to learn how to handle a gun responsibly to contact him.
What a lesson. Never, never, never write an opinion when angry. It could have incited others to violence. This incident was the most painful lesson I learned and one that I have never forgotten.
I also learned to let a few days pass after writing a controversial opinion in order to reflect on my ideas and reconsider every aspect of the issue. Passing time is always a good method of improving ideas, rather like letting a green and possibly bitter apple turn sweet and blush red from a few days spent lying under the warmth of the sun.
So did One Woman’s Opinion and her readers in the passing 40 years ripen, improve with age and turn sweet in the afternoon sun?
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