The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Facilitating discourse

Our community has experienced what we would consider to be a tumultuous semester. Yet, there are a number of trying issues on campus which continue to persist and many more that are sure to come. This is why we at The Cynic put a premium on civility in discourse. Trying times bring with them many competing ideas of how to interpret and address our problems. If we are to sort out these problems we must do so in a respectful and productive manner. We of The Cynic consider ourselves facilitators of this: it is our mission to provide a forum for intelligent, thoughtful and meaningful debate of issues relevant to our community. In pursuit of this, we seek out several things. First: A sense of reason. We applaud virtue, but must also recognize the values of sense and pragmatism. Part of this requires a non-dogmatic approach to the issues: it must always be understood that either side of a debate may be wrong and that points from all perspectives must be evaluated and scrutinized equally. Second: A sense of mutual respect. This should be easy enough to understand, but sometimes is very hard to put into effect. This means being careful with words and actions — tread lightly, speak thoughtfully. Third: Taking a stand and making a point. Apathy gets us nowhere. We have to familiarize ourselves with the issues and figure out where each of us stands, but we must also stand by our convictions, because without our active support they are worthless. Fourth: Contribution. We seek to inspire and encourage input from the whole community. If you disagree with something that has been said or done, or have a general grievance with something in our own bubble please do not hesitate to send us a letter. Public forum is a great thing and we value it supremely. Without your contributions it is hard to keep up a successful, healthy discourse. We promise to select letters based only upon the aforementioned criteria, as well as quality of writing, accuracy of claims, timeliness and relevance. We will never reject a submission because of personal, ideological differences. But one thing we can never accept are the arguments that are never written down and submitted. Help us out. Help yourself out. Get your voice out. Participate in our community. But please, please, do so respectfully and reasonably.

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Facilitating discourse