The Medallion Party was in extremely poor taste. The foul wasn’t merely stereotyping blacks. Blacks, Asians, whites, gays and lesbians, Jews, Christians, Muslims and Hindus all are stereotyped regularly. Some stereotyping is benign. Other forms are negative, malicious and exaggerated. This can be harmful. Those who threw the Medallion Party probably meant no harm, but they did further negative stereotypes, which showed a lack of good judgment. In addition, the Managing Board already wrote that self-separation is OK. In short, the Managing Board disagrees with many of the sentiments of its own staffers that write for the opinion page.

But the way our columnists have been treated for stating their opinions has been less than fair. Opinion columnists have – to borrow from modern parlance – guts. They challenge assumptions, review what the community takes for granted and boldly state what they think. Fence-sitting isn’t an option for a columnist; that’s not their job. Good columns have two or more sides to the issue. If they didn’t, columns only would preach to the choir. This is why readers never will see columns that argue “be nice to your neighbor,” or “don’t murder your fellow man.” Reasonable people don’t think it’s OK to be nasty or to murder others. A column exhorting the obvious is a waste of ink. That means columnists, by virtue of their work, should be controversial.

The point of the opinion page, after all, is to spark dialogue. In this respect, the past few weeks of discussion have been a success and a failure. The topic of racism has a much higher profile than it did just a few months ago. But there is still progress to be made because the lack of civil and constructive dialogue.

Columnists not only take on controversy each week, they attach all manner of identifying information to their pieces. They attach their names, e-mail addresses and a crisp picture.

In contrast, unsigned fliers attacking columnists are uncivil. Columnists have the decency to allow themselves to be associated with their opinions. They engage the public and are called to task regularly in letters to the editor and guest viewpoints. They have no choice but to be accountable for what they say.

But race forums that invite columnists and result in finger-pointing and calling Cavalier Daily staffers racist do not encourage dialogue. Columnists ought to be invited to further the dialogue they spark on the opinion page. They should not be invited for angry readers to use them as attack dummies. Administrators must remember to encourage dialogue and mediate, but they must set the example in conducting civil and appropriate discussion.

Thursday’s “Reflections on Complexions” will be the fourth in a series of dialogues focusing on race relations. Unfortunately, it already promises to be another exercise in nastiness and finger-pointing. One flier advertising it said they don’t know if Kimberly Liu or Anthony Dick – a columnist and an associate editor – will be present, but that those who come could expect drama. Liu and Dick both have appeared at other forums to discuss their opinions. This event should be a “reflection,” a civil dialogue. Promising drama, as opposed to reasoned discussion, states an expectation for inflaming controversy rather than seeking reconciliation.