It is impossible to be completely unbiased. Everybody has their own preconcieved notions, however undeveloped. Journalists are not excluded.

You can’t convince me that Connie Chung isn’t liberal or that John Stossel doesn’t lean to the right. Many of us remember when Tom Brokaw, during 2000 election night coverage, pointed on a map to where Al Gore was beating George W. Bush and let slip, “ It looks like we’re ahead over here (paraphrased).”

In newswriting class, we were taught to appear unbiased despite our values and to seek a variety of opinions from diverse sources. Arguments are presented whether a writer should be “neutral” or “objective.”

But the question remains, why do journalists submit columns? Why do entire editorial staffs gather to write editorials? The answer is simple: journalists, out on the beat day after day taking copious notes, are among the best candidates to express a knowlegeable views.

The danger lies in blurring the line between the press and the government. If massive numbers of activists from a major party were to start writing news there could be a problem in objectivity. There has to be a majority of outsiders who can comment on the insiders. There should be a few insiders, however, to help outsider reporters to understand increasingly complex government proceedings.

The public in general may not care one way or the other which talking head is delivering the news, let alone whose hand is typing the endless sea of words in a newspaper. It’s the established, life-long journalists who are crying “foul.”

In a Harvard University published research paper from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Lewis W. Wolfson wrote “the revolving door” is detrimental to journalistic integrity.

Being fair, Wolfson argued “line crossers,” while left defending their independence for their entire careers, are often respected by their public. He mentioned Bill Moyers, NT graduate, as an example. Moyers, a veteran columnist and writer, was once president Lyndon B. Johnson’s press secretary.

Other line crossers include George Stephanopolous, Diane Sawyer, Henry Kissinger, Jean Kirkpatrick, Chris Matthews, Tim Russert and even the loveable Pat Buchanan.

As for me, being the chief justice of the SGA Supreme Court and copy editor of the Daily raises some similar arguments.

Thankfully, I have the opportunity to serve in the judicial branch, where I have to be fair and objective anyway. In many cases, I had to rule against my conscience in favor of upholding the SGA constitution.

Rule of law must be upheld. If I believed ruling documents were “living,” it would be best for me to resign.

F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”

I couldn’t agree more. It’s entirely possible for the openly opinionated to stay objective, but it’s not easy.