Set aside petty politics and take ownership of opinions

A lack of communication is the easiest way to destroy a relationship.

I’ve heard it from counselors, read it in magazines, seen it with my own eyes. And although I’m sure those around me hear and read and see just as much as I do, I encounter people time and time again who want to avoid transparency and appear differently than how they actually are.

In this particular instance, I am referring to people who come to our office wanting us to slant a story a certain way or construct a staff column in line with their views. To be even more specific, I am calling out some of those who have been elected as a student body officers to represent those who attend this university.

You are right to assume that part of our purpose as a newspaper is to represent the views of students, draw attention to certain issues and help provoke reflection. But our responsibility is greater to those who are typically overlooked and have no other outlet. We want to give a voice to the voiceless, so to speak — Don’t we sound heroic?

Therefore, if you have been elected as a student body officer, you not only have your own voice, but it is your duty to openly share your opinions with your fellow officers, administrators and the student body.

You may worry that if you voice your concerns and they are unpopular, you may lose support from the administration or other officers. It may be more difficult to carry out the initiatives you’ve been planning for months. But if those initiatives are really meant to benefit students and not oneself, they should pass regardless.

If your personal popularity — or lack thereof — among fellow leaders is keeping the students you represent from greater opportunities and benefits, be open about it with those around you first. It is ludicrous for an ego to get in the way of someone’s job, and your peers should recognize that.

If you have addressed your problem one-on-one and in meetings with fellow officers and administrators, you are welcome to come chat about it with me. But even if we talk, it doesn’t mean I’m going to let you sit back while my staff and I take the flak for an opinion that’s not our own.

I am sick of people cowering behind the Statesman and expecting to see their personal problems resolved without taking on any manner of personal responsibility.

Attempts such as this send me a conflicted message, and if I’m writing a column, I’d prefer to make my message clear.

With politicians and other human beings, ego is a huge folly. President Richard Nixon had a big ego. His insecurity led his involvement in the famous Watergate break in. His ego led him to lie about it, which led to his resignation before he could be impeached. President Bill Clinton had a big ego, too. He had an affair with an intern, but his pride led him to lie about it to the nation, which then led to impeachment.

Do you know how many presidents have had mistresses? Neither do I, but I know it’s a lot. I really believe that what pissed off the nation more than these acts of stupidity is that fact that we were deliberately deceived. These men wanted to show no weakness. They didn’t want co-workers who had information about their follies or different perspectives on matters to publicly express it — that would show disunity, which equals weakness, right?

Well, I have a spoiler for you. Even the strongest leaders have weaknesses, but the wisest aren’t afraid to acknowledge them.

I have plenty of weaknesses, but this column is not about me. It’s about stimulating thought and self-evaluations across campus.

Plain and simple, are you being completely honest with those around you? Do you allow those around you to be completely honest without jumping into defense mode when they try to explain their view? Are you letting your pride hinder the responsibilities you have in your particular position?

Well, the solution is clear. If you haven’t been doing things right, then either make a change or forever be lost in the world of deception like Nixon and Clinton.

— Mariah Noble is the editor-in-chief of The Utah Statesman. She has an editorial board full of smart people who don’t agree with her on everything. Comments may be sent to statesman@aggiemail.usu.edu.