LETTER: Editor’s methods were lazy

To the editor:

    The Statesman has been a useful and informative addition to my experience at Utah State University. I appreciate the world news, local news, sports news, and calendar.

    What concerns me are articles that seem to be published in an effort to “create” news. There may not be a lot of rapes, murders, and drug busts to write about, but it seems like “child’s play” to argue for the sake of arguing; or in this case publishing. For example: “Lets Get Ready to Rumble” seems like a perfect title for an article that is trying to “create” a story by creating controversy. 

    It almost seems lazy to “create” a story instead of finding one that will actually benefit the student-body. Maybe I am falling into that trap by responding and acknowledging the behavior that seems to give some journalists a “cocktail of ecstasy that they can’t drink fast enough”.  The article admits to a lull in top stories giving “little fodder” (another reference to fighting) for politics. The author continues by making personal attacks against members of ASUSU and potential candidates. In the very same article, in reference to news, he wrote that “The Statesman endeavored to remain neutral and objective”. What was written in “Lets Get Ready to Rumble” made that statement laughable.

    Are we really sinking to the level of so much of the world’s so called media? Is the editor and chief really setting that kind of example to the Statesman staff?  Is controversy and the idea of getting ready to “fight” the message that we really want to send to the student body to start off their week? Is it the Statesman’s job to publish the news? or is it to create controversy and wage what appeared to be a personal vendetta?

    The members of ASUSU may not be perfect, but the put in a lot of time trying to make Utah State University a better place for everyone. In my opinion that seems like a much more fruitful endeavor then sowing the seeds of discord and contention. Aren’t we all on the same team? Isn’t each one of us an Aggie? How can we build a future or a legacy when we’re busy tearing each other down?

    If anyone wants controversy that bad they should move to Egypt.

Joel Smith