Two weeks ago, Chimes published a features article highlighting conservative opinions on what the future of the GOP would be after Trump. In light of the recent backlash to this article, I would like to iterate as the features editor of Chimes, that I neither agree nor endorse the opinions shared in the article. 

Most of us witnessed the march on the Capitol on January 6th and on the news and saw it for what it was: insurrection. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with this perspective. Evidently even on Calvin’s campus, there are people who seek to minimize and downplay the violent behavior witnessed at the Capitol. 

I acknowledge that there are valid concerns behind the outrage, but this article is not intended to be a platform to promote or encourage such views. It is important for the Calvin community to be aware of the existence of such opinions on our campus.

On a campus as diverse as Calvin, there are bound to be disagreements and differences in opinion. Chimes seeks to display these different opinions, not endorse them. As a newspaper for Calvin students, the goal is to be able to relate to our audience and represent them entirely. It should be noted that the Chimes newspaper has never been and will never be a safe space to uphold extremist ideologies.

To state that by displaying each opinion, Chimes was equating their weight, is false. My hope is that the Calvin community can see this article for what it is: a reflection of the diverse opinions found within conservatives on Calvin’s campus.