Assorted comments from the Editorial Page Editors about the motivations and intentions for our new opinion blog. (11/10)
Lisa Ma, Editorial Page Editor: The Backpages were started for one reason and one reason only: to wipe the smirk off of Sports Editor Ben Cohen’s face. Cohen has repeatedly rubbed his blog in our faces. But no longer: we’re taking our place in the sun (and, by “sun,” I mean, “eerie glow of the Internets”). What we’ve found here in cyberspace is a forum to forward the discussions that we’ve started on our print pages. We want our columnists to follow up on the issues they’ve brought up in print or to delve into more detail on the subjects they’ve alluded to. We want our editors to respond to questions concerning our coverage and policies. We want our student leaders to engage in dialogue with one another and with a cyber community. We want our guest contributors to have a space for their voices to be heard. And, most importantly, we want to beat Cohen at his own game.
Austin Boehm, Editorial Page Managing Editor: For me, the best part of opinion is its nuance. A lot of us fundamentally agree on a lot of things, a lot more of us disagree, but the most interesting part regardless is hearing someone express a nuance that makes you think. Makes you challenge. Makes you want to respond. It’s in this last aspect, the want to respond, that I see us as disappointing our readership. Maybe that’s a good thing, but it’s worth finding out—and that’s the epitome of The Backpages for me. Getting a dialogue going, fleshing out those nuances, but most importantly, interacting.
Let’s be honest, that was my ego talking—deep down, this blog exists for one reason, and one reason only: giving us editors more work that will make the proverbial pile that much taller. We’re gluttons for—in fact, we’re addicted to—punishment.
Rebecca Wu, Editorial Page Managing Editor: Why start an opinion blog? Three words: To. Share. Opinions. This blog will not only allow guest contributors a venue to express their ideas, but will also be a great opportunity for columnists to really flesh out their ideas and expand upon concepts for their readers (and dare I say, fans?). Once a column is printed, readers have the ability to post comments online and write letters to the editor. Columnists, however, are prohibited from responding. The fact is that some comments are downright ugly and hey, columnists have feelings too. So, columnists, let’s get this party started. This opinion blog is your second chance to say what you might not have gotten to the first time around.
After a couple days of intense self-reflection, the editors reconvened to offer some follow up thoughts. (11/13)
Lisa Ma, Editorial Page Editor: Our print edition often forces us to make decisions based on space and we’ve found that the Internet has provided us with the ability to mitigate the effects of this problem. Our staff contributors are able to flesh out their ideas and our guest contributors will always have a soapbox to stand on here. We hope that all members of the Duke community will find this space a forum for them to not only continue discussion begun on our pages, but to also to initiate dialogue on issues that our contributors have overlooked.
Austin Boehm, Editorial Page Managing Editor: Our immediate overuse of the term seems to imply that “fleshing out” (see #2) ideas is pretty much the heart of this blog. I think I’m okay with that. But Lisa made a better point than she may have intended when she brought in the other blogs here at The Chronicle. There is a high bar, and seeing the successes that other departments have had with their blogs makes it pretty easy to think that engaging people’s opinions can be at least as interesting. Duke is a place filled with a myriad of opinions, and if we can channel even a minority of them into discussion, it’s bound to be a good experience.
Rebecca Wu, Editorial Page Managing Editor: It is not completely correct to say that this opinion blog was started “to wipe the smirk off of Sports Editor Ben Cohen’s face.” It was also started to spite the Local and National Editors. We will no longer stand by idly when they rub the Sports Blog and Election Blog in our faces. Now that the election is over, readers can have something fresh and exciting to read about online.
I have absolutely no problem with people who support a given candidate or cause, as long as they know why they are supporting it, and it is with a reasonable justification that doesn’t violate any other person’s rights to existence. Part of what makes America great is that we have different opinions represented in our society. What I have a problem with is when people are completely disrespectful of others or other opinions.
Dear Duke (and, by extension, America),
