What is the Point of ATS OP/ED?

I am having a hard time determining what is the point of OP/ED in the scheme of ATS.

Opinions by their very nature are biased. Why is an opinion ATSNN worthy as oppossed to BTS material? From what I can see at the moment, OP/ED can be viewed one of two ways. Either a way of discussing news without the burden of facts while staying under the radar of the requirement to keep bias out of it, or a way to say that somehow a particular persons opinion is more worthy of reading and considering than most others.

Recent OP/ED's have me thinking this vehicle is starting to become a not ready for ATSNN real news submission, but we'll give you extra points for leaving out facts and throwing in some bias because......

- Well, quite frankly I can't figure out why.

I don't think op/ed's should be ATSNN material either

we aren't paid journalists

we are joe anonymous on the freaking internet tapping keys in our spare time


All of this adds up to our opinions or editorials not being any sort of credible enough to even matter... Besides I thought that was the individual catergories were for.

Most OP/ED on other news sites are credited to their respective authors (First and Last name along with a picture most of the time).

For anyone coming to ATSNN for the first time, it's going to be hard to take someones viewpoint serious when the opinion is coming from 'NoKIa89'. And regardless, ATSNN slogan is 'Deny Bias', but how are we supposed to have an unbias opinion?

It's impossible to have a completely unbias piece. It's just the way journalism works, as well as human nature I suppose.

Just like deny ignorance... deny bias can also mean that any bias can be denied in the collaborative discussion that follows any news item.

OP/ED= Opinion Editorial

You are free to express your opinions on the news in an OP/ED.. Not everyone will like it or agree with it... That is why there is that REPLY button!!

Deny Bias when you reply... Don't run like hell from it!!

OP/EDs are an integral part of any news organization. While the news is presented as news, as facts, the OP/ED page allows you to read opinions on an issue. You can read an angle you'd not thought of before, or start to be swayed on an issue you thought you were steadfast on, or even grow even more supportive of your own stance. You can learn about an issue that you don't know much about, and can find topics that aren't always reported on.

In the NYT, the odds of us getting an OP/ED piece printed are very slim. Here, you can write one yourself. I've read a number of good ones, and I'm currently kicking myself for not taking advantage of the resource.

ATSNN is really fantastic for many reasons, but one of them is that it allows a much more personal side to each issue. Our OP/EDs should trump any ther publication's because we have RESPONSES that ADD to the article, not stay within your head and mention at the water cooler. If you've got an opinion, Make it heard!

I think the responses by UM and AMZ are sufficient toward what the "purpose of an op/ed" is. So I'll speak toward something else. It's very apparent, and I really don't see the maturity in avoiding the subject, that this thread was started because you are offended by the current OP/ED - that being mine speaking against what, in my opinion, is unscriptural dogma of the Catholic corporation.

In the two years I've been here I watched this board go through phases. Phases of virulent anti-muslim rhetoric; insidious anti-Semitic rhetoric; violent anti-Christian rhetoric; and at times just plain mean anti-"any belief" rhetoric. During some of these phases, I have had to practice not opening a single religion-oriented thread...because they offended me too much. They made me too angry to even think straight.

So the cycle of free-speech goes. But what concerns me more than anybody else's anti-anything opinion - whether it be in a discussion thread or an OP/ED piece - is the attempt to squelch the ability to share that opinion. And I will point out this is the second time you, Relentless, have started a thread aimed directly at trying to limit the content on this board.

I think I'd rather have to endure another cycle of anti-christian hate threads where I just had to ignore the whole forum for weeks on end - then endure another attempt to limit what can be said on this board.

In short, as another member of this board, I'd like to invite you to grow up, or go away, but stop trying to shut me and others up because you disagree with us.

Originally posted by Valhall
So the cycle of free-speech goes. But what concerns me more than anybody else's anti-anything opinion - whether it be in a discussion thread or an OP/ED piece - is the attempt to squelch the ability to share that opinion. And I will point out this is the second time you, Relentless, have started a thread aimed directly at trying to limit the content on this board.

Actually, I was not attemting to limit what you were saying, just commenting on the fact that it is my opinion the piece was not worthy of an OP/ED. Share your opinion all you like.

As for the what you recall as my first attempt at limiting content on this board, that was merely an attemt to remind people about general ettiquette.

ABOUT ATS: General ATS discussion etiquette

General Hints and Tips

Be nice.

People weren't being nice

Right...I understand full-well that:

1. You don't think it was worthy of an OP/ED.
2. You started this thread questioning whether there should be an OP/ED section.

That's an attempt to limit the content of this board.

I wrote my OP/ED and it went through the normal voting process to either be deemed trash or worthy to be an OP/ED. It had OP/ED in the submission title from the start.

And, yes, I recall what was going on before and during your first thread. And, yes, I agree, people weren't and will continue to not be nice. (Hence the periods of time I have to also refrain from reading their opinions on certain issues.)

I know you are a devout Catholic. You have no idea how much I respect your devotion to your belief system. I will support you in your beliefs, and I personally will defend you as a person who has the right to choose your beliefs and to voice your own opinion.

I even support your opinion that you think my OP/ED stinks. But I will oppose you when you try to hush up others - even when I don't agree with what they are saying.

Not my intent to hush up others actually, sorry you see it that way, but seriously, do you really think that I would think I could stop you from talking???

Come now Val, the opening post (in this thread) is so very broad that no one not already offended should take offense.

The thread that you refer to (of yours) is just not doing what you intended or being received with -awe-

Such is posting, whether OP/ED or not.

Sour grapes don't necessarily make anything other than vinegar.

Valhall
that being mine speaking against what, in my opinion, is unscriptural dogma of the Catholic corporation.

Even in this thread, about OP/ED in general you bring your rail- why?

Why not comment 'on topic?'

You like OP/ED because-
You don't like OP/ED because-

In short, as another member of this board, I'd like to invite you to grow up, or go away, but stop trying to shut me and others up because you disagree with us.

'grow up'

That is rich. I say, take the cracker-slam back to its own thread, no need to infiltrate other threads with a corpse soon to rot in the trash bin of obscurity.

The brand of Christianity that you have portrayed in that thread may be far more indicative to the claimed anti-Christian slant on ATS than any post by others. I know you can't look in a mirror, but Perseus is handy.

>_> Rel's other post wasn't to limit the content of the board, it was an attempt to tell other members to remain nice...

I think it was a good attempt...

-huggles Rel- Im on your side Auntie...

Looks like the politically correct squadron are at it again.


Nothing wrong with Op/Ed at all.

Expressing an opinion is sometimes just another way of asking a question. And by reading another's opinion, we may be able to consider or re-consider our own.

Facts are facts, but truth is opinion. There are many different truths out there. I think the most important part of having an opinion IS expressing it. At least then we can all know what people's opinions are, even if we don't agree.

Consider politics. No one votes based on facts. We vote based on the truth, and the truth happens to be our opinion. As wrong as it is, it is what it is. So long as everyone can express their opinion freely, we don't have to worry about someone telling us what our opinion should be.

Originally posted by Nerdling
Looks like the politically correct squadron are at it again.

Funny, I am still laughing

You may want avoid Perseus yourself for awhile