2008 Woodie Awards
'Sam' debate initates discussion of difficult issues
Creel O'Neil
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: OpEd Page
Last Thursday I took a stroll over to the College of Arts and Science (CAS) advising office in order to sort out some registration issues. With the office being conveniently located by the seal, I witnessed a rather large crowd gathering and discussing. Being the curious individual I am, I decided to walk over and take a look. There were the obvious blue shirts associated with the "Do you agree with Sam" campaign as well as the peace group at the hub and members of Spectrum. It was a very intriguing amalgam of individuals and the discussion was both lively and interesting. With the diverse array of individuals, I knew I was bound to hear some very engaging discussions.
The logic battles I witnessed were very interesting. There was a varying in depth and philosophical discussion between a Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) member and one of the peace demonstrators revolving around the idea of means to ends. On the other side of the seal, there was a debate between a spectrum member and a CCC member about homosexuality and the differences in their beliefs. The one thing that really came to my mind as I witnessed all of these conversations was a great respect. Despite their opposing views, each member respectfully engaged in a fruitful debate and discussion. Surrounded by a group of poster boards that people could write on in respect to their own personal belief systems, here I was witnessing something we don't see very often at Miami University: true discussion and discourse outside of the classroom.
I can't say that I neither agree with what the CCC organization was doing, nor how it came off in doing it, especially in their Facebook.-com group. I can say, however, that I am delighted it happened. I can say that I'm absolutely delighted that discussion and controversy came to this campus and that for two weeks people were actually discussing "difficult" subject matters with one another. I had more discussions about religion, logic, the ideas of truth, the purpose of life, etc. than I have at any other time during my four years here at Miami. Regardless of the organization that put on the event, for two weeks the Miami populace engaged one another in discussion that would usually not be heard on campus or avoided in a normal discussion.
The logic battles I witnessed were very interesting. There was a varying in depth and philosophical discussion between a Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) member and one of the peace demonstrators revolving around the idea of means to ends. On the other side of the seal, there was a debate between a spectrum member and a CCC member about homosexuality and the differences in their beliefs. The one thing that really came to my mind as I witnessed all of these conversations was a great respect. Despite their opposing views, each member respectfully engaged in a fruitful debate and discussion. Surrounded by a group of poster boards that people could write on in respect to their own personal belief systems, here I was witnessing something we don't see very often at Miami University: true discussion and discourse outside of the classroom.
I can't say that I neither agree with what the CCC organization was doing, nor how it came off in doing it, especially in their Facebook.-com group. I can say, however, that I am delighted it happened. I can say that I'm absolutely delighted that discussion and controversy came to this campus and that for two weeks people were actually discussing "difficult" subject matters with one another. I had more discussions about religion, logic, the ideas of truth, the purpose of life, etc. than I have at any other time during my four years here at Miami. Regardless of the organization that put on the event, for two weeks the Miami populace engaged one another in discussion that would usually not be heard on campus or avoided in a normal discussion.
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