First Day

“I just want to say a few words about how honored I am to be here with all of you today in this role, in this room, standing behind this podium. I am obviously acutely aware that my presence at this podium represents a few firsts. I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman, the first of all three of those to hold this position. 

“I would not be here today if it were not for generations of . . . barrier-breaking people before me. I stand on their shoulders. I benefit from their sacrifices. I have learned from their excellence, and I am forever grateful to them. Representation does matter.”

—Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary at her first press briefing, May 16, 2022.

 

• Editorial Comment: Welcome to the Animal House, Ms. Jean-Pierre.

 

 

PeezPIX 

See? Star.

 

 

 

GET GREEN A Good Time for Growing in the May issue of Senior News.

FREE! TODAY'S WORD ON JOURNALISM This free “service” is sent to rafts of subscribers worldwide more or less every weekday morning during WORD season. If you have recovered from whatever illness led you to subscribe and don’t want it anymore, send “unsubscribe” to ted.pease@gmail.com. Or if you want to afflict someone else, send me the email address and watch the fun begin. (Disclaimer: Don’t shoot the messenger. I just quote ’em, I don’t necessarily endorse ’em.)

 

“I don’t think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.”—Tom Stoppard

_____________
Edward C. Pease, Ph.D.
Professor & Department Head Emeritus
Department of Journalism & Communication
Utah State University
Today's WORD on Journalism