OK Citizen-Times, You're Starting to Piss Me Off

Citizen-Times I could overlook the fact that you have yet to post anything on the principal chief, vice chief and Tribal Council primary results from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians last Thursday, where the candidates were narrowed down to Patrick Lambert and Michell Hicks, if it weren't for these facts:
1. You published three puff pieces that made the status quo look desirable during a week when a lot of non residents would likely be in town, one of those pieces incredibly misleading;
2. In an editorial yesterday (the same day you could've posted the primary results) you urged Gov. Beverly Perdue and the General Assembly to approve expanding gaming to include table games quoting the incumbent Michell Hicks;
3. You have repeatedly ignored newsworthy occurrences in Cherokee that could've reflected negatively upon the status quo;
4. There's not a single Native American on your staff or management who actually could point out the B.S. that comes from tribal government;
5. The tribe's PR coordinator Lynne Harlan had been a column writer for you and had been allowed to remove her title from her bio, which leads people to believe her words are from just an average tribal member;
6. Two of your recent executive editors have told me they were impressed by Michell Hicks;
Now I realize you could be waiting until Sunday or Monday since there are those who read newspapers less on Saturday, but come on now. Look who had something up already:
* WLOS;
* The Cherokee Scout;
* Smoky Mountain News;
Why not you Citizen-Times? Is it because it may just force you to realize that since Patrick Lambert was the top vote getter by more than 200 votes, maybe Michell Hicks isn't as popular as the tribe's marketing charlatans would have you believe. Are you afraid of losing the tribe and the Goss Agency's other clients as advertisers? You can get more advertisers. Getting back lost readers and lost credibility is a whole lot harder.
You had the means and the ability to publish just such a story. The tribe even published the results online for crying out loud. The leader of western North Carolina's top employer is in danger of losing his post (rightfully so). One would think you'd find that newsworthy.
Citizen-Times, I used to encourage people to read you because you had nothing to fear from reporting unflattering news stories about tribal leaders. I understand why the One Feather doesn't do so. Michell Hicks signs their paychecks. What's your excuse?
I've actually taken the time to read your ethics policy. Among them are to hold those in power accountable, and provide a voice for the voiceless. In both these areas you are failing the Cherokee community miserably.
Furthermore, as a former journalist I was taught, "If you're mama tells you she loves you, get a second opinion." I imagine most of your staffers were taught something similar if not the same thing in college. Citizen-Times, it's time to get back to being a newspaper again. I can tell you if you continue this type of coverage and ignore your code of ethics in this area, you will lose me as a reader, and likely a whole lot more.
I'm not saying that you need to slant reporting in favor of those challenging Michell Hicks. I'm saying you need to take a hard look at what you've been doing and improve upon your work, particularly in regards to getting the whole story out of Cherokee. It's one thing for me to present one-sided accounts, since I'm clearly advocating a certain position, that being of getting a change in our leadership. But Citizen-Times you're not in the business of advocacy journalism, or are you?
In the meantime, to those who feel that the Citizen-Times is letting them down, write letters, write emails and make calls to those in charge.