EDITIORIAL

Rhode Island in good hands with Speaker Shekarchi

Posted 11/12/20

Covering politics with objectivity is of crucial importance for any news outlet that seeks to provide a valuable resource for its audience. This pillar of quality journalism has been put through a rigorous stress test over the past four years. President

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EDITIORIAL

Rhode Island in good hands with Speaker Shekarchi

Posted

Covering politics with objectivity is of crucial importance for any news outlet that seeks to provide a valuable resource for its audience.

This pillar of quality journalism has been put through a rigorous stress test over the past four years. President Trump’s near-daily attacks on the legitimacy of any press that defies his view of the world – coupled with a sizable portion of the public that was ready and willing to denounce any and all news that was inconvenient or uncomfortable to hear – has made for a toxic media landscape where any reporter simply trying to assess the truth of a controversial matter is immediately suspected of subjectively picking a side.

We are cautiously hopeful that, with new leadership in Washington that won’t decry all negative news as illegitimate, we can return to a healthier place where public trust in reporting and news sources can begin to rise again; a place where every story isn’t simply surmised as another cog in a grand conspiracy machine serving somebody’s dark agenda.

With the knowledge clear in mind that objectivity is so critically important for all news organizations, allow us to opine in this free-speech zone known as the editorial page about Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi.

Joe Shekarchi is one of those rare individuals that you simply don’t hear a negative word about from anyone. Covering his civic service in Warwick for many years has never revealed him to be anything but a hard-working, diligent professional who has tried to be as transparent as possible – whether conducting business at the State House or within City Halls. There are likely hundreds of community members who can recall going to a meeting concerned about a new development project who left with a better understanding and lessened anxiety thanks to the calm demeanor and preparedness of Mr. Shekarchi.

We cannot imagine a person more capable or deserving to become the next Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives – and even further, we cannot think of someone more necessary for the job during the tumultuous time we find ourselves in. There is no doubt that public trust in our governmental bodies, whether locally or nationally, has eroded to dangerously low levels. That didn’t start with Donald Trump, certainly, though his administration certainly did nothing to shore up the crumbling foundations.

Trust means everything to a public’s relationship with its government. Whether you supported him or reveled in his defeat this past week, there is no denying that Nicholas Mattiello was a polarizing politician. He found himself constantly in the headlights of media reports that cast shadows dark enough that large portions of the state simply didn’t trust that business on Smith Hill was being conducted fairly or transparently. The Jeff Britt trial and Paw Sox departure are the two most recent, prevalent examples.

We have no doubt that Joe Shekarchi will put his best foot forward to represent the people of Warwick, and all Rhode Islanders through the powerful role of Speaker. We have no doubt that he will do so with the knowledge that large cultural changes are happening in the state and beyond, and that the state must be proactive, not reactive, in responding to those changes. We trust he will listen to his colleagues, regardless of political affiliation, and to experts regarding whatever subject is being deliberated in order to make a decision that benefits the most people.

We trust that Joe Shekarchi is a good person, and finds himself about to ascend to one of the highest political positions in the state because he put in the time and effort to get there, and he did so by being inclusive, open and kind rather than politically callous or calculating. We believe that he will seek to make Rhode Island a better place, because he has already done so.

With all of this said, Mr. Shekarchi is about to experience a whole new degree of public and media scrutiny. We do not doubt that he is capable of handling it, but we will also give fair warning that whether in the pages of our news or editorial sections, we will take seriously our own role to hold him accountable to the lofty responsibilities he will soon inherit.

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