Editorial: Den controversy an opportunity
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinion
The Trinitonian has received many responses to last week's article and editorial concerning the potential future use of the Tigers' Den. Such a response is exactly the type of dialogue we hope to create by covering these controversial issues, and we'd like to thank the community for sharing its varying opinions on this and many other subjects with us.
However, we would like to address a couple of the concerns that some of our readers have brought up.
In her letter to the editor, Marisa Shipley asked if we had bothered to ask anyone who might feel uncomfortable meeting in a public space. Though our methods of questioning were less than scientific, prior to writing the editorial, we conducted an informal poll of the editorial staff and friends of the staff. Many of these people are even members of various TDC groups. The resounding response was in support of using the space as a bar. Our aim was not to appear intolerant but rather to support what is our - and appears to be the majority - opinion.
Allow us to reinforce this position. First, many are concerned that some student groups may not feel comfortable meeting in public. We know of no student organization that is currently unable to meet in already reservable spaces. Though these spaces are not permanently meant as multicultural spaces, they are meant to be used by any student group which wishes to do so. Secondly, there is no reason that a bar couldn't also fill this gap. Bars are traditionally locales of the evening. Daytime meetings would still be able to use that space. The potential uses of a multicultural center could almost entirely be done in the bar setting. Multicultural artwork could be displayed, groups could meet there nearly any time of day and larger events could also be held there. If anything, this appears to be the closest we could get to the "middle ground" Shipley hopes for.
This week we used our infamous and incredibly unscientific Sidewalk Symposium to try and get a feel for student opinion on the issue. For those of you who don't know, our Sidewalk Symposiums are compiled by one of our photographers who goes out and asks whoever they see the question given to him or her for the week. Check out page 9 to see the results.
However, we would like to address a couple of the concerns that some of our readers have brought up.
In her letter to the editor, Marisa Shipley asked if we had bothered to ask anyone who might feel uncomfortable meeting in a public space. Though our methods of questioning were less than scientific, prior to writing the editorial, we conducted an informal poll of the editorial staff and friends of the staff. Many of these people are even members of various TDC groups. The resounding response was in support of using the space as a bar. Our aim was not to appear intolerant but rather to support what is our - and appears to be the majority - opinion.
Allow us to reinforce this position. First, many are concerned that some student groups may not feel comfortable meeting in public. We know of no student organization that is currently unable to meet in already reservable spaces. Though these spaces are not permanently meant as multicultural spaces, they are meant to be used by any student group which wishes to do so. Secondly, there is no reason that a bar couldn't also fill this gap. Bars are traditionally locales of the evening. Daytime meetings would still be able to use that space. The potential uses of a multicultural center could almost entirely be done in the bar setting. Multicultural artwork could be displayed, groups could meet there nearly any time of day and larger events could also be held there. If anything, this appears to be the closest we could get to the "middle ground" Shipley hopes for.
This week we used our infamous and incredibly unscientific Sidewalk Symposium to try and get a feel for student opinion on the issue. For those of you who don't know, our Sidewalk Symposiums are compiled by one of our photographers who goes out and asks whoever they see the question given to him or her for the week. Check out page 9 to see the results.
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