Fordham Fosters Open Dialogue

Discussing Controversial Issues Strengthens Fordham Community

By THE OBSERVER EDITORIAL BOARD
July 16, 2011

Published: September 22, 2010

One month into the school year, as students are finally settling into their routines, it is hard not to notice a number of recently tumultuous social debates infiltrating our Midtown academic bubble. It seems that, for whatever reason, this fall is shaping up to be the season of civil rights clashes. We hear about Rev. Terry Jones, a Florida pastor who threatened to burn copies of the Quran on September 11, while masses of protesters dispute the plan for a Muslim community center near Ground Zero. We hear about Lady Gaga rallying crowds of gay rights supporters to demand the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, while the Senate majority’s attempt to lift the policy on Tuesday ended in a filibuster. The culture wars are raging, and we at Fordham are not exempt.

Fortunately, for those of us feeling overwhelmed by the divisive current events, the keyword for this semester at Fordham has been “dialogue.” According to Nadine DeNinno’s article, “Office of Multicultural Affairs Extends Training for LGBT Inclusion to Fordham Community” on page one, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) has officially launched a new series of programming called the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and Ally Network of Support.

Following Fordham’s late-April decision to offer benefits to legally domiciled adults, OMA has taken the University another step forward in promoting understanding and appreciation for all members of the Fordham community.

Likewise, Residential Life and Campus Ministry have partnered to encourage dialogue surrounding the recent controversy over anti-Islam sentiments in America. Entitled, “Ground Zero Mosque? Quran Burning? What Do You Think About ISLAMOPHOBIA?” an event on Sept. 22 provided students, as well as faculty and staff members, a chance to engage in open conversation about a topic that often sparks highly charged, emotional conflict.

Opportunities for dialogue are an essential element of the Fordham experience, which is one of the perks that make our school so special. Devoting attention to contentious social issues can be risky for Catholic universities, as we have seen in the annual student production of “The Vagina Monologues,” which still has not gained full University support. But with the start of this new school year, Fordham should be commended for its refusal to ignore the touchy conversations that are and should be happening, both outside our community and within.

That said, no number of University-sponsored discussion events can reach every student. It is up to us, as individuals, to keep these dialogues going—to encourage candid and productive conversation in our everyday lives. We are lucky enough to attend a university that fosters our development as freethinking individuals and promotes an environment in which students can understand and appreciate one another’s differences. The least we can do is use that privilege to its fullest by promoting respect for other human beings, regardless of what identities they claim.