Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Today, for the first Sunday in many weeks, I read the Herald Palladium from front to back, with the exception of the classifieds and the advertising inserts. Neither Earl nor I ventured forth from the house to buy the Chicago Tribune, our usual Sunday fare; so I settled for what passes as news in southwestern Michigan.

The lead story on the front page was about the prevalence of methamphetamines in this area. It featured a sidebar on a woman who became addicted to meth and spent time in jail, drying out while doing time.

Given that there was extensive news of terrorist activities on the radio and television these past 24 hours, I was surprised that the lead was so localized. I realize the Herald Palladium is a local newspaper, but wouldn’t it want its readers to have a sense of the world beyond their doors?

I scoured the paper for national and international news, and finally found it in other sections. I read the editorial, which excoriated Amnesty International for chastising America and its war on terror. Obviously, the editorial was written by a conservative who feels that we have a monopoly on being victimized and nobody, but nobody, should criticize us.

It wasn’t news to me that I’ve chosen to live in a very conservative part of our country. And, to give the paper its due, the political cartoons were more to my liberal liking. But, reading the local newspaper so closely made me wonder if other Michiganders view it as the gospel truth. If so, I’m sorry.

Places like southwestern Michigan are important for maintaining a semblance of stability across the fabric of American life. At the same time, changes that occur that benefit minorities of any kind do not occur here. Equal pay for women, gay marriage, sex outside of wedlock, living together without being married, you name it. It starts elsewhere before the Herald Palladium ever learns of it.

After thinking about it, the meth story as lead article was pretty revolutionary.