Jackson Ripley, only twelve years old from Colorado, recently wrote the Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, a letter, voicing his options on different policies. In his letter, he wrote that Romney should have stayed in Massachusetts, and America doesn’t need him as a leader. He also wrote on topics such as gay marriage, birth control, and Obamacare.
The article feature in the Good News section of the Huffington Post, does a good job of portraying Ripley correctly, and providing background information. One of the first things I looked for after reading the letter was his parent’s political ideas. His parents are strong Obama supporters, and his sister benefited from Obamacare. Ripley wrote, over the topic of Romney repealing the new healthcare system, “Because of Obama care my little sister was able to have the several surgeries she needed that helped save her life… Why do you think she doesn’t deserve health care?” Lindsey Ripley, Jackson’s mother, also commented on the benefits their family had due to Obamacare.
This background information provides a lot of understanding to why Ripley wrote this article.
However, does this qualify as news? I think because it is a rare fact- a twelve year old speaking out against Romney and sending the letter, it can be considered news. It is interesting, rare, and although the letter is biased, the article is not. The article writer does not show a political opinion and simply states the facts with accurate background information. If they writer had no included the parents’ political affiliation or the fact that his sister was denied healthcare before Obamacare was introduced, it would not have been such a credible source of information.
Read this article and the letter at the Huffington Post.
I started reading this, but didn’t get very far. I concluded the parents put the kid up to it and was no longer interested. Good discussion.