Newspapers are the first rough draft of history

I could not agree more with Frank Miele's Christmas gift and message of Dec. 25 when he wrote that "Our community newspapers are the lifeblood of America." One of his lines was that "[T]hose old-time stories from yellowed and brittle newspapers tell the history of America better than any historian could ever do." Author Shirley Craig, "December 1941-31 Days That Changed America And Saved the World" and I agree.

She wrote her book from the perspective of many of the newspapers, magazines and other publications of the month of December 1941. In addition, she used the written word from diaries, personal papers and military materials that were consulted.

Washington Post publisher Phil Graham is given credit for pointing out that newspapers are "the first rough draft of history." It is through old newspapers that we can read and feel what our parents, grandparents and earlier generations were reading, discussing and feeling about their lives and their thoughts and talks of then current events.

Aristotle wrote many centuries ago that "man is a political animal" and that our communities often fall short of the ideal community because of the lack of virtuous citizens. Newspapers, especially community newspapers, still are the best safeguard against injustices and moral crimes - provided, of course, we read them and have some understanding of virtue and ethics.

It is newspapers such as the Daily Interlake and the Whitefish Pilot that provide individuals the opportunity to spout off while insuring that opposing views are heard. It is the small town editors and reporters that keep us on our toes and provide us the best insight into our politicians and ourselves.

Finally, for those of you who think I am sucking up to Frank - au contraire mon frère. I often disagree with Mr. Miele on any number of issues. But Mr. Miele's newspaper has been more than generous in printing my writings and opinions on any matter of issues.

But community newspapers are much more important than the politics of the day. Bill Bryson, one of my favorite authors ("A Walk in the Woods," "In a Sunburned Country," "A Short History of Nearly Everything," to name but a few), wrote that "Personally, I can think of nothing more exciting - certainly nothing you could do in a public place with a cup of coffee - than to read newspapers from a part of the world you know almost nothing about."

I know more about the people that live in Whitefish and the Flathead Valley by the exchange of letters and opinions written by the few about the many. I just hope the few expands and community newspapers continue to be the lifeline of all of us.

Tom Muri is a longtime resident of Whitefish.