In light of the recent blog post on The Boulder Run, and the article "Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Beer," the editorial board debated whether or not to respond to "Hobo Joe." Why give the author more attention than he or she deserves? But our mailbox was flooded with letters to the editor, and we felt a responsibility to respond.
This editorial board believes in the right to freedom of speech, not just ours, but of all people. But there is a difference between writing or posting what you think, and printing something that is unsubstantiated and nameless. The blog in question likens women who attend fraternity parties to "prostitutes." Putting aside the fact that this is an offensive simile, this sort of misogyny and incorrect ideology of DePauw's social life can be just as dangerous as the prejudice that leads to hate crimes.
Just last week, Oberlin College, a liberal arts school in Ohio, closed due to racial slurs, swastikas, anti-gay statements and hateful language that were spray painted all over campus--on buildings, in bathrooms, elevators and in dormitories. In addition, an unknown person in a Ku Klux Klan-like hood and robe was allegedly found loitering outside a black dormitory known as the Afrikan Heritage House.
While the blog post in question is a much smaller issue than what happened at Oberlin, it is, at the crux of the problem, very similar. The issues at Oberlin and the blog post both were spurred by disdain for others, instead of a desire to understand one another.
We're not as concerned as much about what was said in the blog post as we are about why it was said. The words are nasty and downright cruel. They deal with people as a mass, and not as individuals. The women that are likened to "strippers," are the same women that hold leadership positions at DePauw, who make the Dean's list, who are upstanding members of the community. It is not fair to portray these women as two-dimensional bimbos whose only goal is to drink free beer and participate in casual sex. Nor is it fair to say that the fraternity men in question are only interested in getting girls drunk so they can hook up with them. We're not saying that these claims are never true, but they they are not always true, either.
So we ask all members of the DePauw community, not just the author of "Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Beer" to be careful with incorrect generalizations and sweeping accusations. This sort of criticism is not constructive -- if you disagree with the social system, we ask that you insight discussion or propose a solution. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it is important to take ownership for one's words and actions, and not hide behind usernames. In addition, it is essential to uphold a certain level of respect for one's peers, especially here. This sort of attack has no place on this campus.