Downersucks.com is back.Since 1884, The Lawrentian has prided itself on being a forum for the Lawrence community. We would like to formally welcome two relatively new forums—The One Minute Left on the occasion of its formal recognition by LUCC’s publications board, and everyone’s old friend Downersucks.com, upon its recent resuscitation.
The One Minute Left joins The Lawrentian, Ariel (the yearbook), and Tropos (Lawrence’s literary magazine) on the publications board. Students should by all means take advantage of this additional forum. Having a paper on campus specifically focused on political and social issues valuably adds to debate on campus, and is a useful tool toward consciousness-raising.
While it is affiliated with Students for Leftist Action, The One Minute Left has affirmed that it accepts submissions from writers spanning the political gamut. We hope Lawrentians of all political backgrounds will continue to fill the pages of both campus newspapers with lively, informed, and insightful political debate.
As for Downersucks.com, all Lawrentians (students, that is) should log on, or at least check out the posts every once in awhile. At a liberal arts school, it is very easy to start taking oneself too seriously. Downersucks.com allows students to blow off steam, anonymously, and share information, uninhibited.
That being said, posters should exercise a degree of etiquette. The site will stay more fun if its posters remain anonymous—anonymous, that is, to any of the sneaky professors who have confessed to their students recently that they have begun checking the site, particularly standings of such polls as the “Favorite theory teacher” and “Most annoying con studio.”
Downersucks.com is valuable because it is not institutionally affiliated, not financially controlled by any interested party, and because it allows for anonymity.
Now, with two newspapers on campus, an anonymous website, and food service comment cards all at your disposal; you have no excuse to keep an opinion to yourself.
Keep The Lawrentian, and The One Minute Left, and all other publications honest in our pledges to provide forums for the ideas of Lawrence’s community members. Then discuss our articles online, if you wish.
But few schools of our size are as lucky as we are to have three student forums. Take advantage of all of us.