Dear Tories,
This academic year begins amidst major political shakeups—at home and abroad. Our current president ended his reelection campaign, our former president defied death at the hands of an aspiring assassin, and vice presidential picks joined their respective party’s tickets. As I write this, we are just hours away from a presidential debate. Meanwhile, Russia continues its campaign against Ukraine, and Israel is engaged in an existential war against terrorists who, just weeks ago, executed six hostages in cold blood. One was an American citizen. To say we are living through tumultuous times would be a gross understatement.
The news cycle is fast, and each morning brings developments that might have seemed unimaginable the night prior. The Tory offers Princetonians the opportunity to pick up their pens and make sense of the political haze. We welcome contributions from full-fledged staff writers, of course, but we also encourage guest pieces and letters to the editor. Widespread community engagement augments the well-rounded and rigorous debates we aim to host.
The Tory is not only a publication. We are a community of deep thinkers. I have personally learned so much from other writers during my Tory tenure. Discussions with them—whether over a meal, on a walk to class, or in a pitch meeting—have shaped me intellectually. They are unwilling to adopt popular stances simply because they are popular, and unafraid to challenge their own views through dialogue and thorough research. They seek truth above all, not conformity, and they value independence of mind. As a result, our editorial meetings and guest lectures are fertile ground for developing and discussing new ideas about the future of American policy and culture.
Just days ago, we held our first meeting of the year. It was filled with spirited debate on topics ranging from the role of abortion in the upcoming election to the question of whether voting is intrinsically valuable. As the Tory approaches its 40th anniversary, I am excited to see what other questions our writers wrestle with and ultimately choose to explore in our pages.
Best,
Alexandra Orbuch ’25
Publisher, Princeton Tory
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