If only todays press could follow this advice...

[grampachet]

FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BEN FRANKLIN

In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libelling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country. Whenever I was solicited to insert anything of that kind, and the writers pleaded, as they generally did, the liberty of the press, and that a newspaper was like a stagecoach, in which any one who would pay had a right to a place, my answer was, that I would print the piece separately if desired, and the author might have as many copies as he pleased to distribute himself, but that I would not take upon me to spread his detraction; and that, having contracted with my subscribers to furnish them with what might be either useful or entertaining, I could not fill their papers with private altercation, in which they had no concern, without doing them manifest injustice. Now, many of our printers make no scruple of gratifying the malice of individuals by false accusations of the fairest characters among ourselves, augmenting animosity even to the producing of duels; and are, moreover, so indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the government of neighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies, which may be attended with the most pernicious consequences. These things I mention as a caution to young printers, and that they may be encouraged not to pollute their presses and disgrace their profession by such infamous practices, but refuse steadily, as they may see by my example that such a course of conduct will not, on the whole, be injurious to their interests.

[DQDick]

Based on the ads and news articles I've seen so far this summer both nationally and locally there'd be few ads and articles if the only ones that got on were positive. I agree, it's too bad Ben's advice went unheeded.

[Art-n-Marge]

I'm impressed that all 10 lines is said in just four sentences and especially the second is one of the longest sentences I've ever seen. Take a breath!

You just can't beat the writing of the past. It was downright poetic and so profound I barely understood it.

[NCFischers]

A very wise man, indeed.

[Parts Ed]

A lot of what the founding Fathers said rings true now and if we would heed just half of their advise we would/could be a lot better off.

[patbarton]

I have a book on the Civil War that was written shortly after the war by a newspaperman somewhere in the South. Its sentences are so long, that after a while I had to put it down. My brain is so used to sound bytes and Twitter-length sentences that I just couldn't handle it!

[Bigboomer]

quote:Originally posted by Parts Ed

A lot of what the founding Fathers said rings true now and if we would heed just half of their advise we would/could be a lot better off.

So true....I highly recommend the following book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-5000-Year-.../dp/B005I6FF24

The 5000 Year Leap, The Miracle that Changed the World

Once you read this and examine the 28 principles our Founding Fathers used to create U.S. Constitution and our Nation you will see how far off the path we have strayed....