Why did I become a writer?

For some reason, I decided to start the new year with a personal meditation on one of those tough 'Why' questions.

I think this is true, which explains the importance of the Censorship Industrial Complex.

I read somewhere “Why?” is usually the best question. Today, for reasons I won’t get into, I asked myself why do I do the work I do?

Why is probably the best question because it’s also the toughest question to answer. Still, since writers are supposed to grapple with Big Questions, I’m going to give it a shot today.

***

I must do the work I do - writing - because I must think I’m pretty good at it.

That is, of all the jobs I could do, this is the one I can probably/perhaps do better than most people. Thus, one might say I’m pursuing the activity I think I’m best at … which, to me, seems like a reasonable explanation for a career path.

However, based on decades of writing experience, it’s also clear I don’t make a lot of money doing the thing I think I’m best at.

This observation belies the old saw that many people will, ultimately, become financially secure if they simply “pursue their passion.” (In journalism, it’s possible to make a middle-class living, but not if you practice the form of journalism that interests me.)

That is, it’s safe to say I don’t write for a living to “make money.”

Which brings me to this nugget of self-analysis: I must think what I’m doing is either important or potentially important.

This explanation seems a little hubristic as it infers that I can produce results that are important to other people.

What will people say about me at my funeral?

When I die, I’d be touched if a few people said, “Bill did work that really mattered” or “he did work that not many other people did … and he did it pretty well.”

I also, of course, want my family to say I was a caring husband and loving father, which I hope the three people most dear to me will say.

What stories have I written that really mattered?

To construct this essay, I performed some deep reflection and asked myself what stories have I written that really mattered or changed things, hopefully for the better?

Alas, I came up with only two examples where my work as a journalist perhaps made a difference to a fairly large number of people or played a role in “changing the course of (local) history.”

In the late 1990s, I was editor and publisher of The Troy Citizen.

One day I got a “news tip” from a local college student that the Powers that Be at Troy State University were committed to changing the name of our hometown university.

Several of the school’s most influential boosters thought Troy State would have a brighter future if the school changed its name to a directional school, like The University of Southeast Alabama or Alabama Southern - or some other geographic name.

Basically, influential boosters wanted to drop the name of our town from our university. (One reason cited was that this would make it more likely for Division I football teams to schedule our sports teams as it was perceived that “Troy State University” was not an impressive name or didn’t sound big enough.)

With a genuine “news tip” in hand, I sprung into action and wrote several big stories telling the community this change was apparently getting ready to happen and, next, wrote several editorials arguing this was not a great idea, nor was it a change that would achieve the stated goals of its proponents.

Long story short, the community mobilized to keep our college’s name and campus leaders abandoned this idea.

In fact, years later, Troy State officials dropped the “State” and our college settled on the perfect name we were all looking for - “Troy University” - Just like Auburn or Clemson.

Today, Troy citizens and students are still “Trojans one and all.” And, just as I predicted, big sports program didn’t mind scheduling games against the Troy Trojans.

To me, this is an example where journalism worked. (“Journalism works” when it mobilizes public opinion to a degree that makes decision makers reconsider a policy people come to believe is the wrong course).

I think these articles, which caused our family tremendous grief, also mattered …

My second influential piece of journalism occurred years later when, as a freelance journalist, I convinced the publisher of a local monthly newspaper in Montgomery to run a series of articles, showing that the Pike Road School system was implementing what I was convinced were radical education reforms that would harm students.

I also tried to document that the superintendent who was pushing these reforms was a bully and polarizing figure.

On first blush, I lost this battle as my series of hard-hitting, real “investigative journalism” didn’t get any education or political leader in Pike Road fired or change any elements of the so-called “Pike Road Way” of teaching students.

In fact, two of the educators who got fired were my own wife and mother-in-law who worked for this superintendent before getting their pink slips after my articles were published.

However, the Lord works in mysterious ways and my wife secured a teaching job in Troy and, about 18 months after my series of articles, the superintendent, who was only 53, suddenly and strangely “retired.”

Today, Pike Road, Alabama still uses education strategies I think are bizarre, but many of the more extreme reforms have been abandoned and, most importantly, Dr. Freeman hasn’t secured another superintendent’s position to (in my view) poison the education of future innocent students.

While I’m not 100-percent certain, it’s possible my series of articles harpooned the career trajectory of this proselytizing crusader for education reform and a proven polarizer of communities.

If I played an important role in preventing more students from being subjected to this warped education program and kept more teachers from being subjected to a bullying leader, this, perhaps, would be an example of journalism that “mattered.”

***

In recent years, my journalism pursued even more ambitious goals. I was no longer trying to be a “watchdog” thorn in the side of a local school superintendent, I was trying to expose powerful international figures like Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates and “President” Joe Biden.

Where previous articles made me nervous the local mayor might not like me, I was now worried the CIA, FBI or Media Matters might not like me, organizations that don’t always “fight fair” and would, perhaps, seek retribution.

Does the persuasive essay persuade many people?

I also came to realize that what I was really doing was mixing research and investigative journalism with the old-fashioned “persuasive essay,” a genre of writing I’d been practicing since I was writing compositions in 9th grade or columns for the high school newspaper.

Apparently, what I really wanted to do was influence big and important national debates.

Self analysis again suggests Bill Rice, Jr. might have a high opinion of himself if he thinks he’s the type person who could persuade other people to think differently about important subjects.

Why do I do what I’m doing?

The most honest answer I can come up with is that I am trying, perhaps in small ways, to influence (not everyone), but maybe a few people who have real influence.

I’ve come to believe that people who live lives that matter are people who have genuine influence. I also reached the conclusion the wrong people and organizations often obtain far too much influence.

(I appreciate Substack giving writers like myself a forum to reach hundreds of thousands of people - even millions of people - around the world).

If the pen is mightier than the sword, the best way to influence debates is by employing the weapon of the well-crafted argument.

If I wanted to influence debates and combat those who use their influence for toxic or selfish reasons, I almost had to become a writer.

Regarding my high opinion of myself, I ended up not worrying about this because I concluded most of the “adults in the room” - people who were setting policy and really influencing debates - weren’t any smarter than I was.

In fact, many members of society’s “best and brightest” classes seem to be either dim or masters at gaming the system or prospering in a system where concealing important truths is more important than exposing them.

The realization that only a small percentage of writers are trying to expose significant lies and liars is a depressing observation.

(My state of Alabama has a population of five million people. It’s occurred to me that I’m perhaps the only person in our state who has written hundreds of stories trying to expose obvious lies. The fact I’m doing something the vast majority of the world’s population isn’t doing probably makes me feel somewhat special, which I guess is another reason I like my job.)

***

I’ll end with another hard question:

Am I, in fact, having any influence on this, now, bigger stage?

The short and easy answer is, “Sorry, Bill. You’ve yet to make a real difference.”

That is, none of the world’s most egregious scandals have been exposed and the legions of conspirators who should be in prison still occupy the positions of real influence (and wealth and prestige).

However, I can’t say my writing efforts of the past few years have accomplished nothing.

This is largely because it takes time for big changes to materialize. Also, I recognize that I’m a part of a small, but significant team of similar writers who are trying to do the same work.

We’re all trying to neutralize the negative influence of the world’s True Influencers. With every article or persuasive essay we publish, a few more people start to change the way they think about the world’s true leaders.

The Narrative Protectors are being hit on all flanks and must be on the defensive.

In fact, they’ve gone on the offense with their Censorship campaigns, which should be viewed as confirmation our adversaries fear the work of the alternative influencers - and want to throttle our potential influence.

Just like it took 18 months for (my opinion) one polarizing and dangerous superintendent to “retire,” it might take a little more time for the cumulative results of important journalism to make a real difference.

At the end of the day - and the end of this meditation - the possibility I might “make a real difference” probably explains why I decided to become a writer.

The more writers who challenge false and harmful narratives, the better.

I’m not sure, but it’s possible I’m doing just what God put me on this earth to do.

***

(Generous subscribers - and the kind words they sometimes pass along - also reinforce my view I did a good thing sticking it out as a writer.)

One-time Ko-Fi donations greatly appreciated!