A few people on the posting section of our website have insinuated that it is the job of Observer staff to patrol our message boards and respond to counterarguments. It is not. We simply publish the material. Where you want to take it from there is up to you. I am unaware of any campus publication that is expected to address every counterargument made by the student body. If people want an honest, open dialogue, why not put together a panel in which critics, as well as supporters, of the Monologues are invited to attend? Some type of panel may have already happened this year (I have not been monitoring the Monologues), but I am sure that no Observer members were invited, even though, as some posts point out, the Observer has been the most outspoken critic of the show in the past.
I am baffled why people are still debating whether there was or wasn’t a panel discussion following the Monologues, so I’ll state it once again to be absolutely clear.
This year, as we have done every year in my time at BC, we held two post-play discussions following the Thursday and Friday performances and a panel discussion the week after the performance. Additionally, the Brotherhood for Change co-sponsored a faculty-mediated discussion on masculinity and the Monologues this Monday. Those who attended this year’s performance would have seen, via their program, a complete list of the times, dates, and locations of every discussion. Flyers advertising “Men and the Monologues” were also posted all over campus.
I’m unsure why you believe that critics of the Monologues require an explicit invitation to attend these panels, and furthermore, the notion that critics are banned from any of these panels is simply ludicrous.
Maggie I’m not debating whether or not there was a panel. I admittedly said very clearly that I haven’t been paying attention to the Monologues/campus activities this year. I am not suggesting that is your fault. I’m simply suggesting that next year the Observer be given a spot at the table with the ladies from the Monologues so that there can be direct and extending discussion regarding the matter. I never suggested that critics were banned from attending the panels so I’m not sure what you are referring to there. My post was simply a suggestion on how we all might achieve better debate in the future and an explanation of what is expected out of Observer staff in regards to online content. It wasn’t meant to attack anyone so I’m a little incredulous that it seems to have been taken in that manner.