In my first week as editor, back in mid-March, when open shoes were still viable in Canberra, I said that we at Pearls and Irritations do not pretend to be disinterested observers.

We look at issues through a progressive lens and seek truth through evidence and honest debate. We seek, in leaders, the moral courage required if we are to tackle existential threats.

What I have learnt in the 12 weeks since is that this does not just apply to the Pearls and Irritations team, but to the 24,000 readers and more than 1000 authors. The Pearls and Irritations community is defined by genuine independence and flexibility of mind, a strong sense of right and wrong, and a drive to get on and make things better. We don’t always agree, and we shouldn’t. But when we don’t, we argue honestly, using facts, logic and decency. Such a community is a precious thing – even more precious with all that swirls around us. Something worth preserving, feeding and helping grow.

On Saturday, we published two speeches, from Nobel Laureate Brian Schmidt and economist Richard Holden, about the fundamental connection between research and national prosperity. Both pieces are longer than the average, but are worth the read. Too often serious and important topics are glossed over in the mainstream press.

One thing our independence guarantees is that we have the space and bandwidth to run pieces that allow you to make up your own mind. Sometimes that means longer pieces, often speeches, like this one from Al Gore that get a scant mention in mainstream media.

That’s why we ran an article by former foreign minister Gareth Evans on Palestinian statehood, in full, rather than just the quotes that ran in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

Our readers like to make up their own minds, equipped with facts and reliable opinion.

To keep doing this we need your help.

As you know, we operate solely on the generosity of readers and supporters. As an utterly independent media site, we don’t litter our website or social media channels with ads and pop-ups. We publish the best articles we can, unconstrained by commercial interests.

When we feature parliamentarians, we do so because they have something to say and have been listening to their constituents. Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock’s piece on what many are calling the “ carbon bomb” — the North West Shelf extension project — is an example.

Noel Turnbull diagnoses how we got to a “ seachange” of opinion on Palestine.

Later in the week, George Browning will talk about the fundamental differences between Christianity and Zionism.

On Wednesday, we continue the _Australia in Our Region_ series, after an article by founder John Menadue stirred things up, describing our retreat from Asia as a rout.

Until next week.