As the 2018 semester begins to peter out, and we as a community prepare to leave campus for the holidays, we think it is important to reflect. This fall was an important and busy one on Hamilton’s campus both for individual members of the community and the culture and zeitgeist of the College as a whole. As we did at the end of last school year, we want to take an opportunity to look back on and discuss the Opinion section of
The Spectator
.
We feel that this has been one of the strongest semesters for our section. In no way is this a reflection of us — it is due to the quality and consistency of our writers. The men and women who bravely made their voices heard this semester often challenged the ideals and preconceptions of our readers. we hold central to our role as editors the quote: “Opinions have a tendency to be bold, to stir pots, and to upset people. That is when you know you’re onto something.” This ideal was critical in selecting the content for the Opinion section this semester.
The Opinion section consistently had its finger on the pulse of campus culture and dialogue. During the weeks leading up to midterm elections, we had multiple articulate writers express their viewpoints on the elections and the importance of voting, as well as articles advocating for specific candidates. The Opinion section’s interest in politics extended past the United States border several times, most notably when a group of students wrote an impassioned article concerning the presidential election in Brazil. Another piece discussed international relations between Venezuela and the United States, highlighting the importance of remembering that the United States does not exist in a vacuum. This notion is one that we feel students on this campus should remember and is worth repeating: we on the Hill do not live in a vacuum.
The Trump Administration was the subject of several articles, with specific authors focusing on the importance of advocating for transgender rights and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony. Other contributors chose to discuss the refugee crisis, immigration as a whole, and the power of the anonymous opinion article that shook the Trump White House in September.
We had several important debates within the section itself this semester. Whether it was the pros and cons of veganism or the roles of different organizations on Hamilton’s campus, the Opinion section never failed to start important conversations.
Two issues in particular come to mind: Greek life on campus and the existence of the Men of Hamilton Against Sexual Assault (MOHASA). In both cases, the authors of each respective article took passionate viewpoints but were able to articulate their thoughts and make persuasive arguments from places of reason. We firmly believe that respectful discourse is an absolute necessity, and we challenged ourselves this semester to bring to the forefront of campus culture divisive and important issues. It was our hope that these conversations would be handled in mature and respectful ways and, in the majority of cases, these hopes were validated.
Social issues on Hamilton’s campus were of special prominence in the Opinion section this semester. From a conversation about sexual misconduct at the Village Tavern to discussing the importance of inclusion and “ubuntu,” the articles that we published consistently tried to examine what being a Hamilton student really means. Other staff writers and contributing authors discussed sexism on Hamilton’s campus, examining what it means to be “cool” at Hamilton, and the practicality of a liberal arts degree in the competitive job market.
We have long maintained that our section is one of the most important ones in
The Spectator
(we may have a little bias here.) The opportunity to interact with and be a part of the Hamilton community in this role as Opinion editors has been one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had. It is hard to articulate exactly how much we appreciate our readers and writers, but rest assured that we’re trying.
Unfortunately this semester was the last one that we will have the pleasure of working together in this capacity. In 2019, Allie will be exploring Europe as she studies abroad in Dublin, Ireland and Gavin will be moving into the Managing Editor position. We both feel that this semester was a strong one for
The Spectator
and we hope that we’ve raised the bar for the Opinion section.
We would like to issue one final heartfelt thank you to our staff writers. Thank you also to those of you who only published in
The Spectator
once or twice; often, these articles came during times of important conversation on campus and your voices were heard and appreciated. We also say to those who wish to write for this section next semester that your opinion is important and has a place in this paper. Some of the most important conversations on campus this year stemmed from articles written in the section by individuals who hadn’t written before.
As the year comes to an end and we look forward to 2019, we encourage you to spend some time reflecting on the year on your own. We fervently believe that reflection and respectful discourse are the two most important things that we the Hamilton community can further our commitment to. Know thyself but also challenge yourself to question your opinions.
