Tooting my own horn, it happens once in a while
In my opinion and column writing class tonight, we had to rewrite the lede for an op-ed piece published in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday. If you're not interested in clicking on the link, here's the first part of it:
University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone recently wrote an op-ed titled "The crazy imaginings of the Texas Board of Education," which sought to warn an unsuspecting America that there is "a coterie of Christian evangelicals who are attempting to infiltrate our educational system to brainwash our youth." His fretful missive was prompted by the Texas Board of Education's efforts to restore balance to the teaching of American history after decades of successful "progressive" efforts to erase from history and the minds of children the place of Christianity in the founding of America.
The Chicago Tribune decided to publish this piece on Easter. I can only ask: Really - on Easter Sunday?
Our assignment was to rewrite the lede (journalism jargon for the beginning of an article/story) in about 20-30 minutes so it was more engaging. I have no experience with this, so I just gave it a shot. He was going to criticize everyone's anyway, so I might as well dive in and bite the bullet when he says mine sucks too. This is what I wrote:
Geoffrey Stone must have missed class on the day his history teacher talked about the Founding Fathers of the United States. The University of Chicago law professor must have missed the entire first grade or has never examined a piece of American currency. Maybe he was just late for school every day and never recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Otherwise, he might remember that the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Pledge and any coins or bills he has ever used all contain Christian references to God - the religion our country was founded on.
When my professor gets to mine, he reads it out loud, and then says, "This is an example of a terrific lede. This is just great. NOW you know what I want."
Still got it.
:)
University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone recently wrote an op-ed titled "The crazy imaginings of the Texas Board of Education," which sought to warn an unsuspecting America that there is "a coterie of Christian evangelicals who are attempting to infiltrate our educational system to brainwash our youth." His fretful missive was prompted by the Texas Board of Education's efforts to restore balance to the teaching of American history after decades of successful "progressive" efforts to erase from history and the minds of children the place of Christianity in the founding of America.
The Chicago Tribune decided to publish this piece on Easter. I can only ask: Really - on Easter Sunday?
Our assignment was to rewrite the lede (journalism jargon for the beginning of an article/story) in about 20-30 minutes so it was more engaging. I have no experience with this, so I just gave it a shot. He was going to criticize everyone's anyway, so I might as well dive in and bite the bullet when he says mine sucks too. This is what I wrote:
Geoffrey Stone must have missed class on the day his history teacher talked about the Founding Fathers of the United States. The University of Chicago law professor must have missed the entire first grade or has never examined a piece of American currency. Maybe he was just late for school every day and never recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Otherwise, he might remember that the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Pledge and any coins or bills he has ever used all contain Christian references to God - the religion our country was founded on.
When my professor gets to mine, he reads it out loud, and then says, "This is an example of a terrific lede. This is just great. NOW you know what I want."
Still got it.
:)