A new page of opinion

I detest dentists. The reason why I hate them is simple; they spend a lot of their time with other dentists, talking about fillings, toothpaste, cavities and who is on the cover of In Your Mouth monthly. The point is, I am not a dentist, and as such I feel compelled to agree with whatever those tooth fetishists might say about my gums-even if they are wrong. I have to nod along, because I did not go to dental school and therefore cannot render an opinion on why my tongue is covered in fuzz, or how my molars gained weight.

Such is the state of the world we live in. There is an abundance of information, and even the most academic pilot will have difficulty navigating through all of it. People have to make decisions about what they believe, and what they support, all the while guarding against manipulation and falsehood. It is a challenge to look into an issue when a conclusion isn’t easy to find, or there seems to be more than one good answer. Many fall into despair and decide that solutions to these issues are beyond inquiry, too difficult to bother pursuing. Others would have you believe it is wiser to only form opinions about what you already “know” or inconsequential subjects like popular television, clothes, sports and hobbies. When I meet people like that I ask them one question, “Why are you here?” You did not come to university to be ignorant and apathetic.

For my duration as the opinion editor of The Commonwealth Times, I will not allow trivial views to be published in the Opinion Section of this newspaper. We are here to learn and expand our awareness. By reflecting and debating the opinions of others on important subjects, we gain the ability to stop nodding along, and begin to develop opinions of our own. That’s why I got a second opinion, and reported my liar dentist to the American Dental Association.

In lieu of this strike against the mundane, three alterations will be made to the Opinion Section:

1. Every issue, I will include a short list detailing what I believe does not qualify as newsworthy, and a short explanation of why. Susan Boyle’s fatigue, the girl who won 50 grand for texting faster than anyone else, and the fact that President Barack Obama has enough hand-eye coordination to swat a fly are examples of what would be on this list. Not to say I don’t think some of these stories make for good human interest, but given the scope of events in the world, they are loath to be called news.

2. Every issue, I will write in a specific topic for students to respond to. A hypothetical example would be, “Is a football team compatible with the identity of VCU? Why or why not?” The most reasonable and well written responses will be published in the paper.

3. People who write letters to the editor might be contacted personally with a rebuttal to their letter. If someone is contacted with a rebuttal, they will be allowed to write a response for that issue. This practice will be used as a way to provide a longer and more thought-provoking dialogue.

Welcome to all new and returning students. I have no doubt it will be an interesting year, and I look forward to hearing from all of you about it.