Over the past semester, I’ve had the joy of working as the opinion editor here at The Daily Mississippian. It has been a wonderful experience and I have been privileged to provide a platform for students’ opinions.
My only issue has been the series of complaints I have received from various students which say the opinion section is too liberal.
I agree. It currently does not reflect the breadth of opinions on our campus. It leans heavily to the left, but that’s not my fault.
Instead of complaining about the opinion section, I need you to submit conservative opinions. I published almost every formally written opinion column I received this semester. The very few conservative columns I received reflect the reality that people with conservative political and social beliefs don’t take an hour to write a column.
I’ve been told that I promote propaganda and the opinion section is biased. Every single column is, in fact, biased. It’s the opinion section. Writers of the opinion section don’t report the news, we report how we feel about the news. At this point, I’m practically begging for a pro-Trump supporter to send me an column praising the Donald. I can’t stand the man, but I want to share why you like him.
Unfortunately, instead of composing publishable columns, I get emails calling me a “libtard” and saying that I am destroying the campus. I’m not remotely insulted by these comments. Liberal isn’t an insult to me, no more than “woman” or “Southern.” It’s just part of who I am.
To be a cliché, Kumbaya, liberal hippie nightmare, I’m going to quote Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Instead of sending emails and complaining on Yik Yak, perhaps it’s time to actually contribute to the newspaper.
The opinion section has been a wonderful platform for me. I have won awards based on my writings and it has truly been an honor to work for The Daily Mississippian. If people choose to complain rather than contribute, that’s ultimately on them. However, the opinion section can be a platform to share your opinions on many, many subjects. As election season approaches, I hope someone steps up to support Trump and bash the Democratic nominee. I don’t doubt that liberal writers will step up to do the opposite.
I don’t know why liberals and progressives write for The Daily Mississippian more than conservatives, but as my final goodbye to Ole Miss and the paper: please write columns instead of angry emails. Of the two, one gets deleted and one gets published.
We need your opinions, too.
