I went back and forth about writing this column that’s appearing before you today. I’ve held my tongue for nearly three years about my true thoughts and feelings about the April 15, 2023, mass shooting in Dadeville. 

As journalists, we are trained to report the facts, never taking a side and always remaining unbiased in our news articles. Our columns are different, and this felt like the right time to open up.

Lizi Arbogast is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at 434-962-9420 or via email at lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com.