Our community is stronger than you may realize

Here, at Duke University this past weekend, several student journalists and editors came together to discuss the idea of civic journalism - and it was obvious that the idea of community is of vast importance to each college represented. Obvious, as well, was the fact that the University of Michigan has a strong sense of community and that, like on other college campuses, it is taken for granted.

It was hard to define our University's sense of community, mainly because it often seems as if we are at each others' throats. Whether it be protests, rallies, posters, fliers, vandalism, hatred, politics, racism, gay-bashing, anti-semitism or the ever-present issue of affirmative action, there seems to be a constant flow of disagreement, argument and frustration that pervades our daily lives. Perhaps we are hung up on controversy and need a good fight. Perhaps we are getting sick of it.

But in describing what I saw as the University of Michigan community, I realized that these "problems" we face make our University so much better - without conflict there would be no discussion. Without discussion there would be no progress.

Josh White Jumping the Gun

What makes Ann Arbor such a great place is that it welcomes everyone to the table and gives each person a say. Ann Arbor is an oasis of tolerance and of diversity; the University is a hotbed for disagreement and struggle. Without such a system, it is doubtful we would even try to understand one another.

The constant debate over affirmative action that will take place on this campus for years to come is not indicative of a problem - it would be terrible if the debate weren't going on. The minute one side rolls over is the minute each of us has given in, the minute both of our arguments lose credibility. Perhaps "not playing well with others" makes our community special.

Having similar interests and goals is what links all of us; there is no question in my mind that each person I have ever met at the University wants the world to be a better place and that they want more people to be happy with the lives they live. I also have no question that we all have the basics down about treating other people with respect and about proper treatment of the "rules" of society. Of course there are some who go well beyond the bounds of our standards, but a vast majority of us simply wants this planet to improve.

More often than most may think, we are on the same page about many issues that affect our lives. We are more together as a community than I think anyone will acknowledge, and we seem to be stubborn about wanting to be apart. Regardless of how separate some may perceive us to be - the University of Michigan has a strong community that works for our interests. All one has to do is look at the past semester to find it.

No six months can describe this community better than those that just passed.

The University witnessed what happens when a member of our community is killed. Thousands of students came together in an unforgettable candlelight vigil to celebrate the life of a young woman and to condemn domestic violence. Out of horrible tragedy we were able to join hands - forgetting race, culture or heritage - to set our community's standards and to show support for a life most of us didn't even touch.

We rallied against hatred and gave a strong signal to those in our community that tolerance is the only acceptable action. To those who would deface the Queer Unity Project's signs and to those who would employ the swastika as their symbol of hate, students and faculty spoke out.

In the most direct way, we showed support for our National Champions both here and on the other side of the country, joining together in a unanimous shout of triumph, yet never forgetting our fallen heroes. We were ready to re-evaluate our standards after the untimely death of an athlete, and we are gearing up for the long haul in the debate on affirmative action.

Yesterday, we showed support for our community at Martin Luther King, Jr. Day events, which saw outstanding attendance numbers and boasted a strong program. I am interested to see what the next six months hold.

In looking back at all of these examples (there are many more that deserve mention), it is clear that we are strong. The other college newspapers represented at this conference all have unique and interesting communities of their own, all of which face similar problems and handle them in different ways. We should be proud of our accomplishments and recognize our cohesion while we tackle the inevitable tests that are to come.

- Josh White may be reached over e-mail at jswhite@umich.edu

01-20-98