Being a columnist

[holly_potter]

I’m trying to become a columnist for my university’s student newspaper, and the title of the column is “Slice of Life”. Basically, I hope to get students to get involved on campus and to provide a look at the lives of classmates. For example, I would show people what it’s like to be in Student Government, what it’s like to be a commuter student, what it’s like to be blind, etc. In order to contact other students, I will be asking for nominations for other people to interview.

What I’m worried about is…what if I have to interview a gay/lesbian/something counter to the Church’s moral living? If it’s inadvisable to interview them (it’s not like i’m endorsing them) what sort of excuses can I do to get out of that? It’s a state college, so if I do purposefully avoid doing such columns, I might be the object of hatred for not being “accepting” of other cultures and beliefs.

Any advice would be helpful! (Also, I’d probably interview people of other religions)

 

[puzzleannie]

2 ideas, first as a journalist you interview people and report on the people and events, and do not inject your personal views into the story (that is the problem with most of what passes as journalism today, it is really self-editorializing)
the second is that there is no way it would ever be appropropriate to interview a college student about any aspect of their private sex life, or for such info to intrude its way into a student newspaper. while a gay-lesbian advocacy PA group might be legitimized (wrongly) as a recognized student organization, an interview with its members should be limited to the group’s activies in that realm, not with the personal private activities of its members. You would not editorialize about the group’s agenda, any more than you would about that of Young Republicans, Right to Life, or the Anti-War group (nor would you ask and write about the sexual preferences of the membes of any of these groups).

 

[holly_potter]

Thanks for your advice I am just starting out, so it was very helpful to remember the distinction between an article and editorializing. I feel better about this job now And to be certain, I’m definitely am going to balance it out with Catholic stuff like FOCUS

 

[holly_potter]

update:
Uh oh…it turns out they’re expecting more of an opinion column. Thta makes my job easier and harder at the same time. But that means I can try to gently promote moral views on things I pray I’ll make a difference…I have 4 more years to do so…