Why I Love Newspapers

I love newspapers. Always have. While I have read literally thousands of books, my love and passion for reading was actually nurtured by newspapers.
My first real job was selling newspaper subscriptions for the now defunct Boston Traveler. Back in 1972 the paper merged with the Boston Record American and at the ripe old age of 14, I was laid off.

I then took on my first paper route in Springfield, MA, growing the route until I could no longer deliver all the papers myself. I took on a couple to assist in deliveries, then started selling sections of the routes while continuing to sell subscriptions.

In high school I started writing for the school paper and quickly became the editor. I worked on my college newspaper. I have since been a stringer for the Boston Globe, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, a freelance journalist with work being published all over the world, and even owned my own paper for a while.

My appetite for news has never been quenched. Nor has my love for newspapers.
But, despite this love for the printed word, I could never sell out my principles or the truth, and I never really made it to the mainstream, even with many guest appearances on radio and television. The problem has never been those who have heard, seen or read me, but those in charge of the organizations. I have been told I am too far to the right, that no one would share my "extremist" views, and even that the world does not need, "Another white conservative commentator!"

Thanks to the Internet though, as well as some limited circulation trade periodicals, there but for the Grace of God go I!

As much as I would love to get my own regular column, be able to have the resources to investigate several important stories I have been documenting and more, I still have an outlet to do what I love, even if I cannot make a living doing so.