Letter to the Editor: Paige Hungate
What’s changed, you ask?
“Whether you’re liberal/conservative, religious/atheist, white/black, etc: please know I respect you and value your opinion. Let’s dialogue!” I posted this tweet on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 9:50pm, and it garnered far more negativity than I had ever anticipated. What prompted this?
Why would someone be upset about a positive message like this?
Where is criticism coming from? Perhaps it stems from personal frustrations instead of from its substance.
I wrote to The Sunflower in September 2016 expressing that disagreement is good. Indeed, it creates the most inclusive, all-encompassing outcome.
Difference is what makes us unique and makes us positive contributors to our society’s common good. I will repeat a statement here that was written in my September letter to the editor: “Avoid actively persecuting and vilifying those who may not have similar thoughts as you and actually begin working with them.”
So, what has changed, you ask? Nothing. The answer is nothing. Furthermore, I have never been against the honest and open discourse between varying ways of thinking.
If negative replies are sprung up after reading this letter, then perhaps the issue is no longer on me, but rather an indication of another’s unwillingness to work with those who do not align with their personal philosophy.
No one should be accusatory to anyone for actions that they take on themselves. I’d love for this combative atmosphere to end and for the association to be one that focuses on students, not on divisiveness. Whatever your stance, feel free to direct any concerns, comments, queries to me via Facebook message, Twitter direct message at @pehungate, or personal email at [email protected].
I will not sit by and watch as students continually get silenced. I will not allow for viewpoints to become nullified and ignored due to their content. I will stand firm.
I will respect and value you. And I will represent you.
Now, THAT is progress.
REAL Real Shocker • May 11, 2017 at 11:11 am
LOL @ “Real Shocker,” get a brain, moran.
Real Shocker • Feb 9, 2017 at 2:39 pm
OK. Let’s dialogue, Paige. The majority categories for students at WSU are female for gender, white for ethnicity, conservative republican for political affiliation, straight for sexual orientation, and Christian for religious affiliation. Which one of these majority categories do you NOT belong to? You have said many times that there is not culture of fear for minority students at WSU. How would you know based on your experience?
You are directly connected to Andy Schlapp and his family and John Bardo and the administration.
Do you support Andy Schlapp and John Bardo opposing the needs of Muslim students at WSU? Do you support Andy Schlapp requiring the Gender Neutral Shower and Bathroom sign being taken down in the Heskett Center for the small space renovated in support of transgender students even thought not a single complaint had been raised in the year after the space was renovated?
You say, “I will not sit by and watch as students continually get silenced. I will not allow for viewpoints to become nullified and ignored due to their content. I will stand firm.” Why haven’t you stood with students on these issues as the minority religious and sexual orientation/gender identification groups have been silenced?