Gerrard EckhoffThe risk of giving offence to a minority, however justified, undermines the proud traditions of a free press, writes Gerrard Eckhoff. She writes of the essential role of newspapers upholding the freedoms and traditions of a free press with special reference to cartoons, especially of a political nature. The brilliance of a particularly insightful cartoon can also help defuse a smouldering issue or the rage of the righteous. The risk of giving offence to a minority, however justified, undermines the proud traditions of a free press to "publish and be damned". -Gerrard Eckhoff is a retired Central Otago farmer and former Otago regional councillor and Act MP.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 21, 2019 16:41 UTC