Submitted by Robin Gericke
In an opinion commentary published in the Nov. 2 issue of the Collegian, an anonymous source was quoted saying that the ARD of Glide-Crawford favored her friends when applying the community standards.
I am a friend of the ARD, and I know that is not true. I myself have received emails each time I swiped in past extension, and research into sent emails and door swipe records can also prove that the ARD is not favoring anyone. While past ARDs may have applied community standards differently, the current ARD does not.
However, since that article was published, it has been posted on the GC board above the extension sign-in over 10 times. It has been repeatedly removed by the RD, ARD and various RAs. Conversations can be overheard in the Stuce about this situation even weeks after the article was published. These reactions and conversations are based on a fact that is not true about the current ARD. It is erroneous and hurtful.
Yet I do not write this to complain or defend, but to reflect on our shortcomings, mine included. How often do I take a half-truth or rumor and turn it into a conversation or argument? How often do I let my own frustrations show through how I speak about others? How often to I give in to the temptation to gossip? Sadly, all too much.
I have seen and felt the hurt of rumors and gossip, and it is a convicting mirror to my own actions. As the stress of school overwhelms me, group projects frustrate me and people disappoint me temporarily, it is all too easy to complain to others and speak in a way that reflects poorly on my friends and fellow students.
Philippians 4:8 gives the call to set our minds on truth: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
I want to be called to a higher standard, and our community should be too. Let us all set our minds on what we know is true and lovely. As a little girl, my parents would ask my sister and me if our words were ‘kind, true and necessary.’ The lesson I learned years ago is one I need to reapply to my life now, and I hope that our community does the same.
Do you know that your words and stories are true? If they are, do they reflect kindness and compassion for others? Finally, are they necessary?
Perhaps if we filter our words and actions through these standards, we will more closely reflect what is pure, noble and lovely.
