This summer saw yet another busy newscycle, with top stories ranging on topics from the World Cup to Paul Manafort’s trial, from the royal wedding to immigrant children separated from their parents, from the Catholic Church scandal to the upcoming high-tension midterm election.
Then there was one day that the utter of the newsroom fell silent.
Three months ago on June 28, The Capital, a Maryland-based newspaper office was attacked by a gunman. The perpetrator was a man who appeared in The Capitol as a convict charged with harassment. The man attempted to sue the paper for defamation, but his case was dismissed. Instead, he took matters – and weapons – into the office, shooting several members of the staff.
The next day The Capital published a blank page as their editorial, saying they’d been struck silent.
This is the world we’re growing up in as student journalists and media makers; a world that doesn’t trust those trained to be the most efficient at communicating, researching, cross-referencing and ultimately bringing as objective a piece of news to your doorstep in as quick a time as possible. A world that looks as words equal to weapons, and responds to another’s silence with violence.
So where do we fall? The Weekly can serve as a function of discussion, its pages a place to agree or disagree, but more importantly make others aware of opinions that affect the community we all share. Responding is important, especially when you have something worthy to contribute in which we all often do.
As liberal arts students at Muhlenberg, we are taught to consider both sides of an argument. We are taught to ask the tough questions, fact check our answers and then fact check them again. Perhaps now is a time to gather what we have learned about the media, how it is produced, put together and distributed to make sure there is a public forum dedicated to broadcasting the voices of the College. At times where opinions and views clash appreciate that you may be able to take away a better understanding of a diverse topic, something that can never hurt.
Beginning this semester under new leadership, the Muhlenberg Weekly’s goal is the same as it is has always been: to provide a platform for student voices to discuss student interests and issues; to bring a Muhlenberg perspective to world news, and bring you news that fits the ‘Berg community.
One thing has changed, though: our goal is also to be a hub of information, rather than a sole purveyor of “truth” in a time where even facts are condi- tional.
We want to hear from our readers, as contributors or letters to the Editor.
