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October 3, 2003

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'Undergrounds' provide insight

Note: This column, while being written under my usual name, is not really from me, and thus I am not responsible for the material herein. My real name is being withheld upon request.

Now the truth is – I (not being me) – don’t have any interest in knowing the identities of the authors of the recent underground anti-Greek publication or of the erratically published Residential Strife. In fact, I think underground publications can be witty, insightful, clever and thought-provoking.

Even though neither of the above newsletters demonstrates those characteristics, (which I can say, since again, I am not really the person writing this) I appreciate their effort. The world takes itself too seriously and satire and humor maintain some levity.

In my house, when one of our kids turns to a sibling and starts to say something that begins with the phrase “Not to be mean, but … ,” my wife and I stop it right away. Or we just turn the TV up really loudly. Saying you don’t intend to be mean – and then following through on being hurtful – doesn’t make the nasty remark hurt any less.

The Greek newsletter was very clear on this point, explaining in the introduction that some of the authors’ best friends were Greek and that readers should not take the ensuing personal attack … personally.

It is easy to express one’s opinion under the cloak of anonymity, be it on a Web page, a newsletter or even on a dry-erase board. People make their own choices to read what they want and to consider the source.

Residential Strife at least has a cool logo and a decent Web page. I would like a Residential Strife T-shirt, actually, but am afraid to order one as I don’t want the authors to know that I am a regular reader. I do think I have earned one and would wear a complimentary shirt (XL) if one were forwarded to me through the fine staff at Residential LIFE, Box 94.

But I personally wouldn’t spend $24,000 a year to go here and put up with the many flaws of the University and other students as the authors of the Strife do. I’m also not sure I would let my unhappiness consume quite so much of my time.

There was a publication similar to Residential Strife a couple of years ago called Trinity Student. Eventually the authors (who were graduating) revealed their identities in the Trinitonian amidst a lot of self-congratulatory back-patting about how the administration couldn’t discover their identities or shut them down, to which many administrators responded “What’s ‘Trinity Student’?”

It is easy to express one’s opinion under the cloak of anonymity, be it on a Web page, a newsletter or even on a dry-erase board. People make their own choices to read what they want and to consider the source.

Another publication had a short lifespan a few years ago, and I can’t even remember its name. And there will be more.

At any academic institution, the right to express one’s opinion is not only important but vital. If you want proof of that, check the Joint Statement in the Student Handbook or consider the importance of tenure. Freedom of speech and openness to differing opinions, even cowardly expressions, is fundamental in a learning environment.

So if I had the liberty to speak freely, I’d say to all of the current and future anonymous underground writers out there: Bring it on. For better or worse, we wouldn’t be the same without you: Whoever you are.

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