By David Hegg

Let me state up front that what you are reading is an opinion column. In the news business, this is often called an “op-ed,” short for “opinion editorial.” Unlike news articles based on facts, op-eds give the reading audience various personal opinions representing the editorial board’s view or an individual columnist’s take on different topics. While the editorials and columns may provide arguments supporting the opinions expressed, it is understood that opinions are just opinions. They represent the author’s perspective on, evaluation of, and explanation for a specific issue in the public eye.

It may be helpful to state what an opinion is not. As noted above, an opinion is a personal perspective on some issue. Op-ed writers recognize a cultural shift, event, or trend that provides an on-ramp into the current societal conversation. They then evaluate the topic, sorting out the elements, the controversies, and whatever else has made it a topic of discussion in the coffee shop, in the lunch room, or on social media. Finally, they work up a personal opinion and drive it up the onramp, intending to accomplish two things. First, the column describes the issue in simple terms, and second, it presents a........

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