A 12 months in the past Tuesday, I got here aboard the great ship Kansas Reflector as opinion editor. Whereas my first column on the job promised massive targets and lofty aspirations, I’ll admit that doubts lingered within the cobwebbed recesses of my thoughts.

Would the work make a distinction? Would readers listen? Would they and I discover it satisfying, each journalistically and creatively?

Fortunately, the reply to all of these questions has been a convincing sure. No, I don’t imagine this part and my columns have modified the course of Kansas historical past, however I believe they did a superb job of reflecting that historical past over 12 months. In turbulent instances like these, that counts for one thing.

Based on my tally, that is the 123rd article I’ve written from Kansas Reflector’s opinion seat. Right here’s extra of what I’ve realized over the course of these columns.

The Kansas Legislature is extra badly damaged than you think about.

I believed I knew concerning the dysfunction on the Kansas Statehouse. I labored in nonprofit advocacy for 4 years earlier than becoming a member of Kansas Reflector and had seen how seldom the wants of on a regular basis Kansans have been thought of by legislators.

However I didn’t have the complete image.

Watching the complete physique over the previous session taught me troublesome classes. Legislators obscured what they have been doing, repeatedly and willfully. The worst derailed hearings and grabbed headlines by attacking the powerless. Worst of all, maybe, management repeatedly ignored good coverage and pursued their very own power-hungry ends.

Medicaid growth? Neglect about it. Reducing limitations to public help? Nope. Not when there’s a Democratic governor to demonize.

Extremism has taken root in state politics, and all of us must be cautious.

This doesn’t must do with Democrats or Republicans. This has to do with the loudest voices within the room and the way they manipulate the general public.

You can see this occur within the debate over well being measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outspoken residents and legislators unfold disinformation that put their fellow Kansans in danger. That’s simply the beginning, after all. We additionally endured lies about essential race concept and transgender of us.

Whereas exterior teams have tried to quantify that extremism, they’ve fallen brief. The information media and public at giant have a lot work to do in shining a lightweight on those that would breed hate and anger for political benefit.

When the stakes are excessive, Kansans come by way of.

With all the above being stated, I’ve to acknowledge the shock abortion-rights victory Aug. 2.

Freedom contended with fundamentalist repression on the poll. Our state selected freedom. That vote, and the practically 20 share level rejection of extremism, means that Kansans are totally able to greedy the stakes when elementary rights are on the road.

Almost a 12 months in the past, I wrote: “A state that was as soon as identified for its moderation and temperance has grow to be, too typically, a wannabe member of the confederacy.” For a lot of the final 12 months, these phrases rang true for me.

After the vote, I’ve re-evaluated. Maybe that moderation and temperance endures, slumbering someplace beneath the plains, roused solely by a real risk.

So a lot of you’ve gotten a lot to say. Please preserve doing so.

Kansas Reflector has been fortunate to publish so many gifted writers within the opinion part.

Max McCoy held down the Sunday column slot for a lot of the primary 12 months, till he determined to step apart. Since then, we’ve welcomed weekend work from Kansas poet laureate Huascar Medina, documentarian Dave Kendall, Mark McCormick, Inas Younis and Brenan Riffel, amongst others. Do your self a favor and test them out.

However that’s not all! College of Kansas teacher Eric Thomas has held down the Friday columnist slot, first writing about podcasts after which widening his gaze. All through the remainder of the week, we’ve welcomed contributions from all through the state.

Keen on including your voice to the combo? Ship me an e mail at [email protected].

Kansas Reflector readers are the perfect.

The largest shock this previous 12 months has been the assist and suggestions I’ve obtained from readers. Twenty years in journalism had ready me for a refrain of catcalls and barrage of brickbats.

As an alternative, the Kansas Reflector’s opinion part has been welcomed. I’ve heard from so many readers who recognize a distinct, people-focused tackle information and politics. And whereas many progressives have gotten in contact, so have libertarians and conservatives. I’d lean left, however I additionally worth the sincere and open alternate of concepts.

So, thanks. Thanks for the kindness you’ve proven me, and thanks as nicely for stating any missteps via Twitter. Thanks for following alongside all through the final 12 months. I’m nonetheless studying, and I hope to continue learning till the primordial seas that when coated Kansas return.

Right here’s to the subsequent 12 months and past.