By Grace Hamilton, Former Editor and Queen of Opinions

What is there left to say?

I’ve written a lot for Newswire, and by far, I’ve written the most for the Opinions & Editorials page—over 40 articles, if you can believe it. I wrote about topics ranging from feminism to genocide to lawnmower culture. I wrote pieces that took me multiple days to write, as well as pieces that took me 15 minutes to write – and you can definitely tell which is which if you read them.

I never wanted to please. I never wanted to coddle or make allowances or excuses. Whenever I sat down to write an opinion piece, I wrote what I believed in.

And now I’ve sat and wracked my brains for a final piece of wisdom, for the last word that could make an impact. I don’t have it, and I don’t consider myself prone to clichés or pretensions. All I want to tell you is this: write what you believe in wholeheartedly, even if you’re one of the few who believe it.

I mean, if you’re racist or homophobic or a bigot in any way – genuinely, stay silent. We’ve heard enough from you. But the dissenters? Speak up. Because we can only benefit from hearing your voice. 

A lot of people have told me – to my face – that they 100% disagree with what I write. I’ve been yelled at. I’ve been insulted on my own page. I’ve had multiple pieces written in direct response to what I’ve said. I’ve had Xavier professors insult and call into question my honesty, ethics and morals. 

And I would write it all again.

There are definitely articles that I would change. Opinions that I don’t necessarily completely agree with anymore. But I needed to write them when I wrote them because they only further encouraged me to write the opinions that I believed needed to be written. 

When I was a staff writer, I was lucky to have an editor who stood behind me and encouraged me to keep writing, regardless of the response. I hope I did the same during my time, and I know that Hannah Kremer – your new editor – will absolutely encourage the same.

This isn’t to say that we can write or say whatever we want, damn the consequences. However, it is to say that the news is only made better—we are only made better—when we write or read the things that maybe aren’t the popular opinion, that don’t align with the university’s official stance, that call out administrations and authorities for their failures and shortcomings. The Opinions and Editorials page isn’t always serious, and I love it for that. We need to be able to read an article in celebration of swivel chairs or in defense of Free Birds. We need to be able to laugh. 

But we also need to challenge ourselves.

This is the place where the student’s voice can be heard the loudest, which is why I also ask you, reader, to continue to read us. You can only benefit from knowing other perspectives, from learning about subjects you may have never been aware of. You can only ever benefit from knowing more. And you can only benefit from speaking up, regardless of what the system wants you to believe. 

Because, alongside all the negative responses that I’ve received, I’ve also heard from professors and students that liked what I said and the way I said it. I’ve had people disagree with me wholeheartedly, but still love the article I wrote and the perspective I presented. I’m not here – and you shouldn’t be either – to engage with hatred and bigotry and lies. That’s not what this page has ever been for, or will ever be for. 

Forgive me this one cliché, but the revolution will not be televised, the revolution will not be started by the systems that uphold the status quo; the revolution only starts with you and what you are willing to say—it starts here, in the words you put to paper. 

Damn the consequences.