You disagree? Let’s hear from you

At the risk of alienating some of our columnists, I’m about to disagree with them on some controversial topics.

First, I can’t stand zombie movies. So the next time movie critic David Baird reviews a zombie flick (he’s already done two in the past year), I already know I won’t be checking it out.

I also don’t like dark, brooding, independent films, despite Alan Charlton’s penchant for them.

As for Chris Morrissey’s views on politics and society, while I value his contributions, let’s just say sometimes we agree to disagree.

This is my way of saying I don’t necessarily agree with everything that is printed in The B.C. Catholic.

Yet we regularly publish the views of these writers and others, as well as those of readers who send us letters. This newspaper puts a strong emphasis on opinion writing, partly a reflection of my personal and professional background, which has always been consumed with debate and dialogue.

My fascination with competing viewpoints started long before I got into journalism, from avidly listening to talk radio as a youth, to poring over newspaper columns and letters. Later, as a reporter who covered everything from municipal councils to courtroom trials, I was enrapt by discussions and deliberations. I relished trying to summarize a debate so readers could make up their minds. As an opinion page writer and editor, I went out of my way to find contrary letters and columns that made sound points.

At its root I suppose it’s about a search for truth, and listening to compelling arguments on both sides of an issue is a good way to try to determine the best outcome.

As a young Catholic I looked for that same spirit of debate and disagreement in the Catholic newspaper I was reading at the time. I recall mentioning to a priest that I found the Catholic paper dull because there was too much uniformity and not enough debate. Trying to be helpful, he suggested I try a liberal Catholic publication whose Catholicism ended at its masthead and has since ceased publication.

That was one of my introductions to the responsible search for truth and debate. I gradually learned the difference between reasonable debate on matters that are still open to discussion, versus attempting to invalidate truth.

Every publication has to uphold its standards, and for a Catholic paper it can be a little more challenging. Although debate is welcome in The B.C. Catholic, readers expect us to know the difference between issues that are open to discussion – how the Church should respond to pandemic restrictions for instance – and those that are “non-negotiable,” in the words of Pope Benedict XVI.

Our columnists understand this, and although I sometimes disagree with them, I appreciate the contributions they bring to the discussions.

The same goes for letters to the editor. We haven’t got it perfect, but there are sometimes reasons we can’t publish a letter, for example legal or other concerns. Sometimes a letter is uncharitable or based on a false premise. I sometimes urge the writer to resubmit it, offering ways to improve it.

In short, there’s a way to offer thoughtful viewpoints on just about everything. Let’s hope that even in dissent there will always be room for discussion so minds in disagreement can still try to come together in dialogue.

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