Davis County Watch has a good post wondering why more Utah bloggers don't spend more time blogging on Utah issues.
It's a wonder I've had, too.
Yes, I post on national issues. However, I try to keep that to a minimum, and only focus on a few issues that I can't bring home to Utah.
Other "local" blogs, which shall remain unnamed (I'm choosing to be nice this evening), focus almost entirely on the national. The problem is, they drown out those of us trying to act locally, trying to affect change in our own backyard.
Don't try to change Utahns' perceptions of DC, change their perceptions of what's going on at home first. Most people are unhappy about what their local government is doing. Remind them of that.
They'll start seeing that Democrats are not a four letter word.
-Bob
2 comments:
Well, I suppose I run one of those "unnamed" blogs you're being "nice" about, as I post on a lot on national issues.
The reason why is because I don't think you can change local perceptions without attempting to place local issue in a national context. If there was one thing that the recent elections proved, it was that all elections are *not* local.
People are increasingly informed about what is happening across the nation. Also now, more than ever, political movements attempt to form "unity" via "talking points" to push their agenda. If you can expose the systemic corruption and various problems which are inherent in all politics, Utah included, I think you are more likely to change local perceptions than if you were to act as though Utah is an island unto itself.
Indeed, if it was, and we resign ourselves to that, then local perceptions will never change because they will lack the broader perspective which is necessary to see things for what they are.
I've often thought about how to do more local coverage, and I think that is something I can and need to improve upon, but it is fruitless to "start at home" if you are pretending like a large amount of local concerns aren't fixed upon national and international issues.
DS
My blog is almost exclusively about national issues. That's because I blog about things that interest and/or concern me. Your argument (and Tyler's, the guy who first brought this up) that Utah bloggers should focus on local issues, completely escapes me. I think it was Phil Windley who once said bloggers should blog about only one topic...I obviously have rejected that advice as well.
Look, I'm not on a holy grail to convert people's opinions. For me, blogging is therapeutic. It's not my mission to convert Republicans to Democrats. I leave that to you political guys. Sorry, but this dog just don't hunt.
Post a Comment