Thomas Jefferson believed in a free press, calling it “the only security of all” and crucial to a healthy democracy. To Lafayette in 1823 he said: “The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure.”

Following the Optimist’s Oct. 24 presidential endorsement, the editorial board witnessed firsthand what happens when journalists do their job correctly: Agitation.

Despite knowing its endorsement would receive an icy reception at best, this year’s Optimist staff bravely presented its views. They demonstrated precisely the values that keep newspapers vital to readers – our diligent attempts to be credible, educational and truthful.

The Optimist’s staffers have the fortune of putting these values into practice very early in their careers. ACU’s student newspaper is a microcosm of the larger world, a hothouse for the art and business of journalism. Seasoned Christian professionals guide students through the oftensticky journalistic situations, to help them prepare for the rough waters awaiting them in their careers.

Fortunately, Dr. Royce Money has always treated the Optimist as a professional paper, giving students the freedom to make their own reasonable editorial decisions and working with them, rather than against them, to create a paper of which students, faculty and alumni can be proud.

We carry these values with us, no matter where we go, long after we graduate. It is a bond that extends far beyond borders.

Some of us live in countries that do not enjoy the protection of the First Amendment. Some of us deal daily with compromises that erode the courage of our convictions. But we can look back with a deep sense of pride at the newsroom where we learned to handle differences of opinion with grace, never condemning people for voicing their beliefs.

As ladies and gentlemen of the press, Christians or otherwise, we continue to roll with potential criticism. We continue daily the very process of coming to grips with our work: debate at its purest, agitation at its worst, democracy at its finest.

As alumni of the ACU journalism department, we couldn’t be more proud of the current Optimist editorial board.

Sharla (Stephens, ’94) Green
Optimist Editor-in-Chief, 1993-94
Dallas

Serene Goh, ’94
Optimist Managing Editor, 1993 -94
Singapore

Deana (Hamby, ’93) Nall
Optimist Managing Editor, 1992-93
Little Rock, Ark.

J. Richard Stevens ’96
Optimist Opinion Editor 1993
Boulder, Colo.