Comedian Stephen Colbert recently said, “If there’s one thing you can say about my opinion, it’s that I have them.”
The message here is obvious, and whether or not you are a fan of Colbert, take it to heart. Opinions really are an important part of a healthy society. When people think homogenously, or are just too afraid to speak their opinion, there really can be no progress, socially or politically.
With that said, the Collegiate Times staff members have varying opinions on a wide range of topics. Editorials are thought out and written by the editorial board discussing topics that affect our campus. When some sort of consensus is reached, we share our views with the community. There are usually a couple of hours of research involved on the part of the opinions editor. All facts we use are double-checked. It’s a service all newspapers provide for their readership. The idea is not to tell readers what to think, but to give them another well-informed opinion on topics that affect them. Editorials are meant to delve deeper into topics in ways that news can’t.
In the past few days, many papers — such as the Roanoke Times to the Washington Post — have come out endorsing candidates for governor, town council, and other local and state offices. These endorsements are standard and are always included in the opinions section so that it is clear editorials are not something presented as news or facts (although they do generally include facts to create a well-substantiated opinion).
So why is it that the Collegiate Times has not come out and endorsed any candidates?
The answer isn’t that we are too cowardly to put forth our opinions or that we believe other newspapers are doing something wrong by endorsing candidates. We have not endorsed candidates because we don’t feel it is necessary and we question the effectiveness of these endorsements.
What sets CT editorials apart from other news sources is that we cater specifically to students and the Blacksburg community as a whole. While the governor’s election is obviously very important to Virginia Tech and Blacksburg, editorials about the elections can be found in most Virginia newspapers. Town council elections are more localized, but we strive to cover town council events and give readers coverage of the candidates without the editorial board taking a position.
These are the reasons why we are not endorsing candidates through an editorial. Learning about the various candidates is as easy visiting a few Web sites or reading our news coverage (such as today’s installment of the candidate Q&A). What’s more important to us at the CT is that is that our readers vote at all — and the readers do not need our opinions to vote.
Also, our staff changes radically every year — people move on, graduate, or switch positions. If the editorial board were to publicize its views, the repercussion could be that boards for years to come may feel pressured to continue on the path we’ve started. Issues change every year, so it would not be practical for us to start a legacy of editorial endorsements.
Remember that the outcome of the gubernatorial race will affect Tech with issues such as funding. Town council candidates will have a say in what happens to our community.
Take the time to read up on the candidates and make an educated opinion based on what you think needs to happen in our state and town. You don’t need us to tell you how to vote, but we are encouraging you to make an educated choice.
Well-informed opinions are very important to every community. Take a page from Colbert’s books and be proud to have them. Go out and vote.
The editorial board is comprised of Debra Houchins, Peter Velz, and Sara Mitchell.
