The editorial page of the last Trinity News of an academic year is always a space for reflection: to look back at the year, usually the positives, and to hope for more in the year to come. But most positives we experience will have a corresponding negative for someone else. This is the nature of conflict.
On May 22nd, we will vote to amend the constitution so that there is marriage equality in Ireland. I hope the vote is a resounding yes and this will lead to, at best, thousands of disappointed no voters. What will be a positive for me, and I believe the country, will be a taken as a negative development by others. But I hope it passes because not only do I think it’s positive but I believe it’s right.
It’s hard to be positive without being divisive and so then how can you write a positive editorial without grandstanding and backslapping at the expense of others? You can’t. Several of our biggest stories this year, always ones we believe are worth putting into the public forum, left bitter tastes in the mouths of many. But we stand by our decision and believe that to have left them unreported would have meant a less informed student body, and as a newspaper, we believe ignorance is always a negative.
Another positive to reflect on, and to look forward to, is the election of an SU that looks like the most dynamic and interesting I’ve seen so far in Trinity. As my representation I hope the SU makes life difficult for College as I’m sure next year will continue the worrying trend of disregard for the student body that we’ve this year from the powers that be. I know Trinity News will make life difficult for the SU if we find they’re not acting with the students’ best interests at heart.
I can’t write a positive editorial on the successes of Trinity News this year without being divisive. And we won’t be successful next year unless we continue to step on people’s toes, get in people’s faces and strive for transparency and accountability which usually comes at the expense of someone who wants the opposite. What I can do is reiterate that we believe we’re striving, as an institution, to have a positive effect for the right reasons and with integrity and that we don’t seek to have a negative effect on anyone unless it’s the price of a greater good. This is the nature of good journalism and one that we have always, and will continue to, adhere to.
