Letter From the Editor

Greetings, Tories!

Introduction

1. S. Lewis once posited that “you can make anything by writing.” It is because I believe in the power of the written word – in print or on-screen – that I have greatly enjoyed serving as writer and managing editor for the Tory for the last year. And it is with an eye to the future that I now start as the new publisher of the Tory.

Some goals I have for the upcoming year include having a clear focus on covering our campus community at Princeton, and providing an incisive alternative viewpoint to that of either the press releases of administrators or other campus publications. In addition, in the spirit of conservatism, I hope as publisher to integrate our history into what we do now through such initiatives as drawing from the Tory archives to re-publish pieces that relate to our contemporary campus debates.

Finally, I welcome your feedback in the form of letters. My contact information is below. Let me know what you think!

Commentary

The administration recently announced its decision to keep the name of Woodrow Wilson on both the School of Public and International Affairs and my home Wilson College. We at the Tory applaud the decision, but I personally wish to critique another announcement that came along with this decision.

An address from Wilson a century ago gave rise to Princeton’s unofficial motto, “Princeton in the nation’s service and in the service of all nations.” In April, the University approved that the motto change to “Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity.” This decision to use the common cliché, “humanity,” is unfortunate, since it obscures the true beneficiaries of our service. As the Peanuts comic strip character, Linus van Pelt, once said, “I love mankind…it’s people I can’t stand!”

It is very easy to talk in vague platitudes in such mottos, while simultaneously overlooking the people around us whom we can serve every day. As members of a campus community, it would behoove us to have a motto that reflects the goal to help our neighbor, who can be any one person, student or not, at any time. May we be willing to do so despite whatever disagreements we may have with others, politically or otherwise.

Cordially,

James Haynes

The Princeton Tory

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