Expressing yourself isn’t just the name of a Madonna song that some people think Lady Gaga’s latest hit blatantly rips off. It’s a way of life for many, myself included. And expressing yourself freely without putting up facades and being openly honest is the way to be. This is what it means to “keep it real.”
Contrary to some feeling it’s best to “keep things inside,” that’s never the way to seeing progress happen, or relationships improving or bringing the truth to the light. What better examples of keeping it real than the example of the NU community this quarter?
Brothel-gate presented the perfect opportunity for Northwestern students to keep it real. Many of us quickly packed McCormick Auditorium for that fateful forum, raised our voices (and our blood pressures) and made it known to the community that we definitely were not going to take it. We were ready to crowd the Civic Center to meet with public officials, and ASG was ready to organize students and kept pushing for things to be resolved until we saw Brothel-gate come to a swift end. But even if it meant making Betsi Burns squirm in her high heels at the forum or drawing the ire of administrators and residents, when it came to Brothelgate, NU kept it real.
NU even kept it real when it came to how we conduct business in ASG. When Senate got canceled because the agenda items seemed quite sparse, to ASG President Claire Lew’s chagrin, something happened. The resulting dialogue forced many on this campus to rethink what effective student government at NU looks like, even inspiring reform proposals. In having that open dialogue, we kept it real.
And the good ol’ reliable Daily Northwestern got the age-old conversation started about Deru, even going as far to publish the names of students invited to the group. Some students were angry about the roster being published and others questioned why The Daily would “waste its time” covering what some believe is a meaningless secret society. Regardless of whether or not you believed the story should’ve made it to press, it allowed us to examine the significance of secret societies in general and, let’s be honest, made many of you wonder “well, where’s my invite?” Not to toot the horn of this paper (hey, I’m not a journalist by trade…), but The Daily kept it real.
But there is a way to keep it real that doesn’t step on toes, unnecessarily hurt feelings or gets you into trouble. It means having a civil dialogue, even if it does get a bit colorful when combined with your personality. I remember how many students and leaders on campus proudly made their voice known about undocumented and international students getting more financial aid to make their route toward the “American dream” one that can be realized. During that conversation, some of us stereotyped immigrants along racial lines, called people “illegal” or even said “go back to where you are supposed to be.” Regardless of the viewpoints presented, the conversation was productive because people freely expressed themselves and made their faces, names and voices known on the issue. And they did so in the spirit of a civil dialogue. This is how we should always approach conversations about life on-campus because it allows people to honestly and openly consider both sides of an issue. But there are many among who just don’t know how to keep it real.
Yes honey, I’m talking to you – the one that hides behind your keyboard and uses ‘Anonymous’ or another pseudonym as a mask to insult the professionalism of student journalists, make abusive ad-hominem attacks on community members or spew out ignorance in the middle of a larger conversation. You’re no better than the losers that spend heaps of time rummaging through CollegeACB and have nothing better to do than spread senseless gossip, ignorance and belittling remarks directed at people or groups on this campus, and do it spinelessly and behind others’ backs.
If anything, why can’t you all – of all people, who have such large opinions – just be open and reveal who you really are? Is it because you know that what you’re saying is abhorrent? Or is unfounded? Or you’re too scared to put yourself out there? I’m sure you have many reasons, though many would agree that you should have an open conversation and call us out to our faces or email us directly instead of hiding how you feel – whether it be through your silence, backbiting or “Anonymous” posts.
So here’s an open “thank you” to people who wrote letters to the editor, to bold student leaders, whisteblowing journalists, seasoned administrators and others. Whether or not I agree with you on everything, you’re keeping it real.
Speaking from a columnist’s perspective, if something any of us advance as our opinion, as satire or humor, or as a different way of viewing life experiences, we’re doing our best to keep it real. You see our names and faces boldly alongside our words and we aren’t afraid to engage anyone in a conversation about what we wrote.
As you plow through finals, enjoy your spring break and rev it up to kick off spring quarter, don’t be afraid to exercise your right to be 100 percent fierce. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you best keep it real.
Derrick Clifton is a Communication junior. He can be reached at [email protected]. Illustration by Alice Liu.
