When I was approached by Weather Vane staff members Friday evening about the paper putting out a statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, I was initially hesitant. First and foremost, I wasn’t sure it was our place as a supposedly impartial newspaper to make an overt political call, however meaningful such a call would be. I feared (and continue to fear) partisanship turning the Weather Vane into a paper that exclusively appeals to a left leaning demographic. This was some other group’s choice to make. I wavered to do anything that might jeopardize our journalistic objectivity and thereby, community trust. In brief internet searches, I found few examples of other papers, national, local, or student, making similar declarations. I also objected to the process of coming to an organizational consensus, an all or nothing public, unanimous vote which was thankfully changed to a “sign if you agree” affirmation. I spent the weekend processing my thoughts and on Sunday evening, admitted that should it come to a vote, I wouldn’t be comfortable letting Weather Vane make this statement.
In short, I came around. The first step was realizing I was in the minority. For my own mental health, I had, as of late, retreated from engaging with politics or much of what could be considered controversial. I was unaware of just how strongly people felt, something that has become more and more apparent to me as I witness the power and impact of demonstrations over the past weeks. My decision threatened to divide the Weather Vane staff, something I hadn’t had the thought to see as a possibility.
I want to be clear: I personally support calls for a ceasefire as the morally and humanly right thing to do. I also want to hold the importance of engaging with multiple viewpoints and respecting even those viewpoints you disagree with. I still see it as vital for independent organizations like the Weather Vane to foster such communication and be a trusted place where everyone feels comfortable sharing opinions. But some causes and issues eclipse absolute objectivity. The ongoing conflict in Gaza is such an issue and cannot be ignored. Doing so risks minimizing the scale of tragedy, and the complexity of the situation.
Personally, I continue to struggle with letting my political opinions be known and admittedly sometimes with seeing others express theirs. I apologize to anyone who I offended by my equivocation and changing decisions and I apologize especially to the rest of Weather Vane’s staff for not recognizing the importance of such a call. I am proud to stand by our statement and am equally proud to be at a university that similarly recognizes the importance of making a similar statement.
To anyone who would disagree with the call itself or the making of it in the first place (to my grandparents to whom I promised to cover every issue as impartial as possible): I hope you still feel The Weather Vane is an open space where anyone would feel happy contributing their voice and views. In writing this editorial, I hope to be transparent about my thoughts and the decision making process. These topics have weighed heavily on me the past weeks as I’m sure they have for many on campus. May we all be able to find clarity and common ground.
