Many bright students who live and study at Hopkins view themselves as politically active. However, on a larger scale, political dialogue remains silent. This is unfortunate because a strong political dialogue is essential to the college experience. As the university setting provides the ideal backdrop for debates between a large population of thoughtful, diverse peers, students should take advantage of expanding their views during their undergraduate years.
The possible reasons for the dearth of political conversation at Hopkins are vast. One common theory is that students are too intensely focused on their academics. Additionally, it can be hard to suddenly develop a political dialogue if it has not existed in the past. Students may not feel encouraged to push to have their voices heard. Thankfully, Hopkins already has College Democrats and Republicans clubs for the students who seek them out. Additionally, clubs - such as J Street U, Amnesty International, JHU Politik, Students for Justice in Palestine and Voice for Life, to name a few - are clubs politically active students can turn to.
The editorial board urges these clubs to speak out and engage our entire population in debates, forums or general discussions, to make noise and organize protests and to wake this slumbering campus from its apolitical reverie. Moreover, we encourage Hopkins students to be proactive and join these organizations, taking advantage of opportunities to promote political dialogue on campus. We believe a political dialogue is not only worthwhile but also necessary. As such, our political clubs should be excited about fostering these discussions.
Editor’s Note: This editorial was amended to include additional information on political clubs that are currently active at Hopkins.
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