What is an editorial piece? It is an opinion piece. It expresses the views of the editorial board. The entities that make up the editorial board are people, humans with thoughts, feelings and opinions.

When we write news stories, we strive to be objective. We leave our opinion and bias out of articles. We write straight facts.

However, the beauty of an editorial piece: we are allowed to be human. We can include opinion and thoughts on current events.

Why do we include an editorial every week? To provoke thought, provide insight and localize news.

If we included opinion in a news article, we would be bad journalists. If we libeled someone in a news article or editorial piece, we should not be practicing journalism. But writing an editorial piece to express our view on an event? This is not wrong nor should it be frowned upon. It is our right to express this view, as it is every reader’s right to submit a letter to the editor.

We recognize we have ruffled some feathers this semester. Our belief is that this means we are doing something right, not wrong.

We strive to make The Simpsonian a community forum. Our newspaper should not be a one-way street. Rather, it should be a conversation between us, the journalists, and you, the Simpson community.

If you agree or disagree with something we have said in the editorial or how we reported something, tell us, and start a discussion via the newspaper.

We ask that you respect our opinions, and we will give you the same respect in return.  Just because we are journalists does not mean we cannot have opinions on matters. Further, our editorials do not include thoughtless and childish ponderings of current events. We spend time discussing what to write, how to write it and how our editorial will bring about discussion and possibly change.

Would it be just or acceptable if we did not let our readers include their opinion on matters? No, because that undermines the principles of journalism. We allow ourselves that same courtesy. We don’t just write the news. We are consumers of news.

Read the Our View or don’t read the Our View. Comment on the Our View or don’t comment on the Our View. That is the beauty of news; you can tailor it to what you want to read. Just know that it is here, and if you want a different perspective on the news, we can be your source.