The Force of Words: Reflections on Dialogue at Houghton

As outgoing editor-in-chief I’d like to conclude my career at The Star with a few remarks regarding the paper this year. I stated at the beginning of the year that essential to any healthy and thriving community is sustained, respectful dialogue. Along with my staff, I made the decision this year to publish a series of editorials concerning the LGBTQ experience of Houghton alumni under the title Being Queer at Houghton. It was our intention that these editorials would be understood as an opportunity for those who have been routinely unheard to add their voices to the campus dialogue. I recognize that discussing LGBTQ issues may be uncomfortable for many on our campus and community alike, and these editorials proved challenging for many (and inflammatory for some). However I am confident they promoted a valuable dialogue on campus and exemplified a core tenant of The Star’s mission: to maintain a safe platform for diverging opinions to meet and perhaps clash.

The articles in the series were selected from a large number of submissions, some of which we decided not to print for various reasons (e.g. unnecessarily inflammatory language). The stories we selected were balanced, fair, and honest, while maintaining a clear and distinct position on the issue. Additionally, we printed all pieces (editorials and letters) submitted by those responding to the series. The disparity in numbers is not a result of The Star rejecting an opinion that does not reflect its own, rather it is representative of all that we received from our readers.

I’ve maintained strongly that The Star does not have a particular agenda: we welcome diverse perspectives (particularly in our opinions section), striving above all else to maintain fairness and integrity. Although the series was titled Being Queer at Houghton, other voices were brought into the public forum via opinions submitted directly to the staff, letters to the editor, and online comments. Having received roughly equal amounts of criticism and praise for the series, I think I can safely say that the staff and I believe the series to be a success.

There will never be a “right time and place” to talk about controversial issues. The LGBTQ conversation is not something to be shoved aside until a more convenient time. To suggest so effectively communicates to members of this community that they’re inconvenient on our campus, that perhaps we’d rather they not be here at all. We as a community cannot pretend this issue doesn’t exist, to do so would be a grave disservice to society and to the church.

The Star is accountable first to the students, and then to the Houghton community at large. As a student newspaper, The Star is meant to reflect the conversations students are engaging in already on campus, as well as to spark new topics of dialogue. I’m not suggesting that The Star is ignoring the Houghton community at large. Rather, we’ve made it a point to print letters and publish online comments from community members and alumni alike.

At the end of the day, I’m confident in the decision The Star made to print this series of challenging editorials. My hope is that these stories have given Houghton students and community members alike the opportunity to grow in their ability to respectfully join in dialogue with others while having their own perspectives challenged.