Senior brings students together with handmade newspaper

Jasper Winterton
Feature/Video Editor

“I don’t care about the topic, but if the emotion isn’t there, then who gives a sh*t,” senior Tony DeArmitt said.

DeArmitt recently developed his own newspaper, “Red Leather Talks,” which plans to be distributed weekly. He said he wanted students to have a place to voice their uncensored opinions and thoughts, and he thinks “in free media, not being allowed to print profanity in a high school is quite frankly sick and disgusting.”

DeArmitt said that the title of the newspaper represents a connection he made from the color and material red leather. He said he views it as both educated and professional, but also uneducated and scandalous, which he thinks reflects our high school.

“I don’t want to fund through advertising because then the man is controlling you,” DeArmitt said. A big theme throughout DeArmitt’s journey has been “saying no to the big man,” the “big man” being potential forces that could try and stop the distribution of the newspaper, in a way representing society.

“I have this whole spiel about free speech and fighting the man, but honestly, he big reason I began this paper is that I find myself surrounded by people that are so incredibly wonderful. People that are creative and caring and great humans,” DeArmitt added over text.

DeArmitt said via text that he used to believe some people are degenerate or less than because of things like drug use, sexual habits or anti-religious sentiment, but Webster Groves has really changed his mind about all of that.

DeArmitt said in Webster Groves some underage students speak with profanity, engage in drug use and have sex, and those things are a pivotal part of the communities culture, regardless if it is “good” or “bad.”

“Webster Groves is so chock full of unique, creative and passionate people, but right now, they are all split up into cliques. The goal of Red Leather Talks is to bring these different groups together to highlight the extraordinary wide variety of people in this community,” DeArmitt said.

The newspaper will include conversations and art work from different local artists. Red Leather Talks will always have a free black and white issue that includes the same content as the colored issue.

DeArmitt and the other people involved in the publication are still trying to figure out all of the distribution details, and there will not be a digital version, but some content may be uploaded to the newspaper’s Instagram @redleathertalks.

To subscribe or submit content, one can contact the newspaper via email at redleathertalks@gmail.com.

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