What you are about to read will not only affect how you view the Optimist, but also how you view your peers. You are reading an editorial, written and composed by members of the Optimist editorial board.

This is the collective opinion of various members on staff, including the editor in chief, managing editor, copy editor and opinion editor. It is not one person’s opinions or writings; therefore, it is unsigned.

The Opinion page is one section of the Optimist dedicated to sharing thoughts and opinions of the staff, campus and community.

This is a place where someone can state his or her opinion and be heard on campus. It is a place where someone can write about issues on campus that need to be addressed and a place where someone can write disagreeing or agreeing with an article or column published.

The Opinion page offers students and faculty the chance to express themselves.

In the First Amendment, Americans are given a unique role in society-the freedom to say whatever they want.

This is a journalists’ favorite part: “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.” We don’t take the First Amendment lightly and neither should you.

Unvariably, the Optimist will receive letters from the community, students and faculty claiming we are biased or misrepresenting the university or Christianity.

While we will kindly read and print your opinion on this page, we ask you to read ours with the same respect.

Another element of this page is columns. Columns are written by members on staff and are accompanied with staff mugshots. Columns are the opinion of the columnist and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Optimist or university.

As you read the opinion page this year, please feel free to write and express your opinions. We will be waiting to hear from you