In the spirit of Veterans Day, this USAF veteran is writing my last Wellness Warrior Column for its current newspaper and am opting to use total transparency as to why it will no longer be available in the Richland Observer.
Several years ago I returned home to my roots here in Richland Center after a career in the Air Force as a nurse. After remodeling my house, I was eager to complete my e-book, “Wellness Warriors”. Beyond this, I was excited to continue educating folks on holistic wellness options we all have in addition or instead of allopathic or traditional medicine. When I began my column, the only restriction I was given by Dawn Kiefer — the Richland Observer editor at the time — was the number of words to use.
To date, I have authored 292 Wellness Warrior columns, the last one titled “Holistic Wellness: Voting Your True Beliefs/Values”. However, that column did not appear in the Richland Observer like it usually does. After speaking to newspaper staff here in Richland Center, as well as the gentleman acting as our publisher (who oversees several small newspapers here in southwestern Wisconsin), I was told my column was “too political” and that “politics has no place in a wellness column” (even though it’s a paid, sponsored space).
So we tried another angle…the editors of Valley Sentinel (Spring Green’s independent, editor-owned, all volunteer newspaper) assisted in re-fashioning my column into an ad for the Richland Observer that would be paid for by the local nonpartisan, fair tax code education organization, Economic Equality Now! That was not printed either.
How sad…the Richland Observer is/was my hometown newspaper. Seemingly, the rules of engagement have changed and, as a result, my speech is being restricted. Therefore, you will no longer find my column in the Observer.
On a positive note, Valley Sentinel has kindly offered to host my ongoing bi-weekly column. Valley Sentinel can already be picked up in several places in Richland Center and can be subscribed to at: valleysentinelnews.com/subscribe/.
You can also follow me on Facebook and/or my site where my columns are blogged: www.holisticseekers.com/.
P.S. One of my first columns in my new Valley Sentinel home will address “Politics and Wellness” because it’s a deal as I feel most of you can confirm.
Political Humor: On another positive note — at least we don’t have to worry about another insurrection.