With Rick van Rossum

If you’re reading this then you’re not completely disinterested or totally peeved off with this column.
Of course I’ve no way of knowing if you do, or even if anybody is actually reading it.
About a year ago after having expressed a couple of opinions about something or other, the Kormorant asked me to do a regular column about anything I’d like. They said that they liked the way I wrote.
Well that may no longer be true, after a couple of dozen articles published and with my tongue-in-cheek opinions and being an equal opportunity offender. But then how would I know?
There was no brief, guidance or suggestions as to what I might pen every fortnight?
I may add I don’t get paid for it either, so I’m on my own so to speak. What you see is what you get.
I don’t pretend that I can write, English was not my original home language, in fact it is mostly self-taught, Spell-Checker helped a lot. I was well into my teens before I heard English spoken.
So what do you think, should I carry on, should I change, should I be more diplomatic, should I be nice to everybody, should I stop? Get the picture, I’d like to know.
Nothing worse than if nobody cared or even started reading the surely often controversial comments I put down on paper. Those who have read the articles may have noticed that I have avoided to really sensitive issues because I understand that for every opinion there will be an equal and opposite point of view, usually strongly held by both sides. So I go for soft targets and hope to get a reaction, anything.
If not read, just think of the hundreds of trees cut down to make the paper that my comments were printed on, that would be a terrible waste wouldn’t it?
So I ask, give your opinion and if warranted I will respond in kind. I’m not looking for accolades or approval, give it to me straight and lets get some reaction going. To the best of my collection, I’ve only seen two letters commenting on my column, one complimentary by a lady, a long time ago and one from a man who had quite obviously missed the point of the article he was upset with. I did respond but it wasn’t published so no way of knowing if he had seen my reply, hope he did. Not even the Kormorant has ever commented on my writings.
Those with Internet access may have noticed the new Kormorant Website, www.kormorant.co.za, it is a big improvement on the old and lets you go into history and quickly find previous newsy articles, very useful too.
It also has a nice and easy way to connect with the paper by using a simple “Readers Comments” opportunity at the bottom of the various articles.
Use it or just write the old fashion way by “Letter”, I’m sure that others who have expressed opinions, or just plain News reporting, would appreciate your input too, even if it hurts.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Harties is a small community and the Kormorant is our one and only common thread we have to share the local news and experiences, use it, it’s worth having.

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