Trust Me, We’re Not All About Money

We, at the Herald, hold strong beliefs, among them that we serve Almighty God, that we play a vital role in the governments established in this state and nation by informing the voters to the best of our ability, and that we serve to keep you, the reader, informed of what happens in your community.
Without an immovable foundation to support us, we would be nothing, nor would you give credence to anything we would print.
Along with an unflinching belief in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees free speech, we offer to this gathering of people, known as Cape May County, channels to be heard.
Among these channels are letters to the editor, which is, first and foremost, the most respected way to let your fellow readers know your stance on a matter; Spout Off, both on-line and in print; and comments under stories.
Do these channels cause us pain? Definitely. I will be the first to state that our belief in allowing readers to express their opinions is very expensive. It is far more costly than the ordinary reader will ever know, in dollars, but if money were our sole motivation for being, we would not have become respected in the eyes of many of you. Without the unswerving belief that what we present to you is for the common good, we would not be the institution many have come to rely upon as a beacon of truth in a dark world.
Recently, one of our staff has been criticized on-line for being in too many places. The author of that post claimed the photographer was always on scene first, and how was that possible? There was a veiled notion that that member was an arsonist. Another, in another social media, opined that the staff member’s work was, in fact, pilfered from other websites, and was not his own.
The answer to that is: I know that staffer’s work is self-generated, because no other media covers many of those breaking news stories. Still, it is easy to sit and criticize, and we know that is part of the turf that goes with presenting news to this community as it has never before been presented, first and fast.
Many who voice allegations, either in social media or in Spout Off or elsewhere, are uninformed. They voice opinions without validation. For example, those who claim a photograph was plagiarized from another site have no knowledge of the internal properties of a digital image.
Yes, unbelievers, within every image snapped by every digital camera, is sufficient information to quickly learn: What camera was used. What lens was used? What was the aperture and shutter speed. In addition, there is a unique number on each image.
I, personally, know the staff members’ cameras and what digital information is recorded on every image. You may not want to believe it, but all those images of accidents and fires with a Herald staffer’s name thereon are, in fact, actual work.
Again, those who choose not to believe that are free to continue to believe erroneous thoughts. They are entitled to believe what they will.
Most recently, Wildwood Mayor Gary DeMarzo, has retaliated against the Herald for its on-line Spout Off, and for comments made against him. The “hammer” His Honor is using in an attempt to shut down that forum is to remove Wildwood’s municipal legal advertising from this newspaper, which was named the official publication by the city.
Not only has he placed us in his personal crosshairs for eradication, he also has told his mayoral peers throughout the county, and the Board of Chosen Freeholders, to follow his example.
His notion is that we will see the error of our ways, learn from our wandering, and quit what bothers him. Life then, supposedly, will be good once again on Five Mile Beach. As previously stated, if money were the sole reason for the Herald’s existence, that might be possible, in fact, it would be probable. As previously stated, money is not the driving force behind us.
His Honor has also informed me (us) that we will see and feel his unfettered wrath when he establishes his own website to publish his brand of “truth.” If we did not have such a firm belief in the First Amendment, we would be fearful, but we cannot live in fear. What will be will be.
There is proverb, Chinese I believe, that states, “When you set about to bury someone, you must dig two graves, one for them, one for yourself.” I have witnessed that many times, anger and pious promises fall back on those who made them, and shame resulted.
This newspaper, with its record of service to the community for over 40 years, will continue, but only through the strength drawn from Above, and from readers who appreciate what is being done on their behalf. Call us a “rag,” in an attempt to drag us down, but that won’t work, sorry. Refuse to read our work, that will not cancel the truth that abounds to be reported.
When all our work is done, as Rudyard Kipling wrote, “When Earth’s last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it — lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew!
And those that were good shall be happy: they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comets’ hair;
They shall find real saints to draw from — Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!
And only the Master shall praise us, and only the Master shall blame;
And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as They Are!”
The only reward the Herald seeks is “That was a great paper; it served a good purpose. I didn‘t always agree with it, but they did they best they could.”