Choosing to write about politics is commendable and beneficial for the community, particularly in a time when many seem disillusioned with politicians and the political system more broadly. There is value in producing a well written, clearly argued article that expresses a political opinion. However, using The Cavalier Daily as a public platform to share ideas and information about politics comes with responsibility. Authors need to explain their position in simple, concise terms, and provide accurate information in their pieces. Some recent political Opinion articles have contained confusing language, grammatical mistakes and some inappropriate sources.
Bobby Doyle’s piece “Stop foreign actors from influencing our elections” centered on politicians’ responsibility to denounce recent attempts by other countries, particularly Russia, to shape U.S. politics. Some of the sentences are unclear, and the article could have been edited more carefully. For example, the sentence “Once we start to accept foreign actors as legitimate and having the shared interests, we leave ourselves open to manipulation” is confusing for readers. What shared interests are being referenced here? In addition, the sources cited in the article are not entirely reputable, and are not appropriate for a college-level essay. Authors and editors should carefully vet Opinion articles and their sources, especially those that discuss politics in this tenuous climate.
Last week, Matt Winesett’s article titled “Why we may not be completely doomed” discusses the potential bright side of a Trump presidency. Winesett argues Democrats will benefit from reactionary voting in 2018 midterm elections, specifically in the House. The author goes on to state that if there is a wave election, Democrats will be able to control the re-districting process and “reforge safe red seats in the House into safe blue ones.” This statement reinforces a common misconception that gerrymandering involves the party in power drawing “safe” districts for themselves. In actuality, the opposite is true. The majority party typically draws very safe districts for the minority party in order to reduce voter power in these districts. This is perhaps a small distinction concerning political process, but it is part of a broader pattern of unreliable and unclear statements in recent political Opinion pieces.
As the public editor for the Cavalier Daily, it is my job to serve as an objective third-party and critique issues I see within this paper. I believe that language matters, and maintaining high standards is vital in order to provide a high quality product for readers. The most important facets of effective and persuasive political writing are accuracy and readability. Writers must complete sufficient research and deeply understand the issues they decide to discuss in their pieces. It is particularly critical in the current political climate to clearly explain jargon, de-code rhetoric and use reputable sources to develop a strong argument.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
EDITORIAL: Celebrating and reflecting on The Cavalier Daily’s independence
By Editorial Board | 5 days agoOur independence grants us the ability to ask the hard questions and to say what University representatives cannot.
ARRAS: U.Va. must revise the Sexual Assault Prevention Training module
By Aoife Arras | April 17, 2024In addition to its failures in interactivity, the module lacks details specific to the University and discusses key concepts in universal terms.
EDITORIAL: Pedestrian safety is an institutional imperative
By Editorial Board | April 15, 2024Amid a national crisis of pedestrian safety, Charlottesville and the University are also struggling to properly maintain pedestrian safety.
