Franklin's creed rings true today
He often signed his letters simply, "Ben Franklin, Printer." The famous founding father, politician, inventor, publisher, postmaster, and author - man of so many hats - was also a newspaper editor. That which was publicly considered critical, controversial, and - yes - offensive were Benjamin Franklin's daily diet.
He lived in revolutionary times, although not all his criticism was of the British crown; far from it. Such was the nature of the business, believed Franklin; to be a microscope, a skeptic, and pot-stirrer stimulating public (and civil) debate was the "printer's" role in society.
Of this he liked to remind his readers in a summer editorial entitled, "The Printer's Creed":
"Being frequently censured and condemned by different persons for printing things which they say ought not to be printed, I have sometimes thought it might be necessary to make a standing apology for my self, and publish it once a year...I request all who are angry with me on the account of printing things they don't like, calmly to consider these following particulars:
"That the opinions of men are almost as various as their Faces; an observation general enough to become a common proverb, 'So many Men so many Minds.'
"That the business of printing has chiefly to do with men's opinions; most things that are printed tending to promote some, or oppose others.
"That hence arises the peculiar unhappiness of that business, which other callings are no way liable to; they who follow printing being scarce able to do any thing in their way of getting a living, which shall not probably give offence to some, and perhaps to many; whereas the smith, the shoemaker, the carpenter, or the man of any other trade, may work indifferently for people of all persuasions, without offending any of them.
"That it is unreasonable in any one man or set of men to expect to be pleased with every thing that is printed, as to think that nobody ought to be pleased but themselves.
"That it is unreasonable to imagine printers approve of every thing they print, and to censure them on any particular Thing accordingly; since in the way of their business they print such great variety of things opposite and contradictory.
"That if all printers were determined not to print anything until they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.
"I have heretofore fallen under the resentment of large bodies of men, for refusing absolutely to print any of their party or personal reflections. In this manner I have made myself many enemies, and the constant fatigue of denying is almost insupportable. But the public being unacquainted with all this, whenever the poor printer happens either through ignorance or much persuasion, to do anything that is generally thought worthy of blame, he meets with no more friendship or favour on the above account, than if there were no merit in it at all."
Benjamin Franklin, Editor and Publisher
Pennsylvania Gazette, Summer, 1731
Sholeh Patrick, J.D. is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.