Brittany Wilson | Kristen Griffith/The Whetstone

Brittany Wilson | Kristen Griffith/The Whetstone

By Brittany Wilson, The Whetstone

In last semester’s final issue of The Whetstone, Kristen and I were faced with a difficult decision: to print or not to print Bryheim Muse’s satirical cartoons in the opinion section of the paper.

Did we personally agree with the content of the cartoon? No. Did the cartoon coincide with popular opinion on campus? No.  But the opinion section is just that—opinion.  By definition of the word, the content consists of editorial work based on a student’s “view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.” But we never imagined just one man’s personal perspective could cause such a stir.

Muse often draws political cartoons, all of which employ a satirical approach to make his point.  Satire is defined as a genre in which “vices and follies are ridiculed to bring attention to a specific social or political problem, ideally motivating society to improve upon a particular point.”

Basically sarcasm rooted with a deeper meaning.

As college students, we are constantly being exposed to views and perspectives contrary to our own.  It doesn’t make one person’s perspective right, it doesn’t make ours wrong—it just simply shows that we are a diverse campus, composed of all sorts of people from lots of different backgrounds.

I can’t even begin to count how many classes I’ve attended and conversations I’ve sat through that dis the Christian faith—the faith that I personally and very strongly identify myself with.  I do not usually agree with what is being discussed, but I understand that not everyone shares my beliefs.

As a feminist, I am often insulted by the sexist comments and derogatory language some people spat about women.

“You’ll never be able to find a job in such a male-dominated field.”

“You’re such a good little waitress, why do you even bother with school?”

“Isn’t it about time you get your nose out of those silly books of yours?”

I am disgusted by the way people demean my life goals, simply because I am a woman.  But their comments only motivate me to work harder—to prove them wrong.

I am a Christian. I am a feminist.  But I know not everyone shares my opinion on these subjects—at Wesley College or out in the real world.

Frankly, I don’t expect them to.

The current election is a prime example of this predicament.  Political perspectives and party affiliations are so polar opposite, there seems to be no middle ground on any given subject.

We are never going to agree with everyone, everything.  Is it frustrating? Yes. Is it scary? Yes.  But that’s okay.  Because yeah, according to the First Amendment people are entitled to their crazy, bogus opinions about things, but under that same right I am entitled to my opinions as well.

We can’t revoke that right from them—the ones whose opinions differ from ours—because in trying to silence them, we are, by default, silencing ourselves.  The amendment that protects Bryheim Muse’s opinion is the same that protects mine and yours—no matter how different those opinions may be.