| Show r 1 Press keeps checks and balances N the recent smoking IN referendum-counting referendum controversy controversy controversy con con- several people objected objected objected ob ob- ob- ob to the publication of the story in the Jan 9 issue of the Horizon Among these people were administrators and students They knew what a great negative impact this situation would have on the people involved And it did The staff of the Horizon was fully aware of the damage that was to result This is not to say our decision was not painful There were tears shed the day Judd Morgan Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan put Curtis Smout Gordon Gordon Gordon Gor- Gor don Wilson Marshall Gardner and Shawn Mehr on probation not only by them but by a few members of the Horizon This affair has been a very powerful learning experience for us as reporters As journalists journalists journalists jour jour- we have a great grea t responsibility to the people of our college to keep them aware and interested in their student government We have an even greater obligation obligation obligation obliga obliga- tion to report the facts objectively objectively objectively and without bias We at the Horizon have learned the power of the press and the great effect it has on peoples people's lives Some consider the press to tobe tobe tobe be a fourth estate a system of checks and balances that keeps the other three intact As a student newspaper our loyalty lies with you the stu stu- stu- stu dent Although it was a difficult difficult difficult dif dif- dif dif- decision to make the students had the right to know We had to overlook personal emotions and write for our audience Although some people of now question the credibility of our leaders the smoking referendum experience experience experience ex ex- ex- ex has proved to us that politicians are not al always always always al- al ways honest leaders do not always follow through with commitments blind faith and ignorance can be a dangerous attitude and al always always al- al ways when in doubt question question question ques ques- tion authority There is no notime notime notime time like the present to learn about the real world We hope the administration administration administration tion students executive council and the student senate learned something from this whole affair We hope they learned that commitments commitments commitments commit commit- ments courage decision n making and credibility are vital qualities of an effective leader Most of the time we have seen the student government and administration tion demonstrate these skills We hope they can continue I |
