Emily Crighton
Layout Designer
Something is happening on our campus and in our community that makes me sick to my stomach – hatred is spreading like wildfire. Middle Eastern students have become the targets of robberies and hate speech by way of videos burned onto DVDs and spread on campus. Recently, while walking with his girlfriend, a student from the Middle East was stabbed and called a terrorist.
So, why isn’t that where our focus is?
I have worked at The Bengal since my first day on this campus, and it’s always been something I’ve been proud to stand behind. This week I find it necessary to defend the paper I’ve always been so proud of from itself.
On April 15, The Bengal Editor-in-Chief Chris Banyas posted a reaction to recent events that can be seen on The Bengal’s website and Facebook page. The op-ed, entitled “Enough is Enough,” called out President Vailas on his reaction to the previously mentioned events. The words slimy and flaccid were used to characterize a letter sent from Vailas to the student body. It was an email that “wormed its way in” to my inbox as well, as all letters from the president of the university do. “In Pocatello we care about our neighbors—and we’re all neighbors,” a portion of the email read.
Outside of a sometimes too personal opinion page, I am as proud of this paper as I ever have been. Chris has done great things this year in pushing our writers to dig deeper. Week after week this staff produces quality content that has boosted our readership and circulation. I’ve probably seen more people reading The Bengal this year than the two previous years combined. I have respected his willingness to try to bring this paper to a new level despite it being easier to leave things the way they were. He’s an extremely smart and passionate person I’ve worked next to for three years. That neither means that we always see eye-to-eye, nor that what I’m about to say takes away anything from what I just said.
Chris, you have called for action while refusing to take action yourself. Vailas is the head of this university, and you are the head of this paper – the independent voice of the ISU community since 1910. If you’re going to talk the talk, you had better be prepared to walk the walk. Otherwise, I find your editorial as convincing as you found the email from the Office of the President. What have you done as a leader in the ISU community in response to the attacks on Middle Eastern students? Did you plan on attending the April 18 rally, press conference or march for acceptance? No. You wrote a letter. Ironic?
The Bengal has been facing budgetary issues with ASISU for several months, with ASISU attempting to eliminate The Bengal’s print edition. As the print layout designer and the staff member with the most seniority tied with the Editor-in-Chief, one might be able to understand why this would be a devastating loss in my book. On April 13, with all of The Bengal’s editors in attendance, ASISU passed a motion to reverse the budgetary cuts – saving my job. I’d like to keep it.
Attacking the head of the university in a less-than-journalistic opinion piece isn’t exactly increasing the odds of the paper staying funded. Actions have consequences, and while there is one more paper to be published this semester, The Bengal is comprised of a passionate staff that would like to put out many more.
