I am 21 years old. I’m someone, like my diligent reporters and editors, just trying to break into her industry. Today, I find myself not applying for internships or jobs because I weigh something above that so much more.
Editor's note: This is just the beginning, we are ready to fight
People are watching us. People are rooting for us. People are relying on us.
We aren’t the status quo, but I can sleep at night because we took this case seriously from the beginning.
We saw the survivors rise from anonymity to public servants.
We were in the courtroom from the very beginning. So here we are in the newsroom — overworked, caffeinated and thriving.
I say this not to concern others or complain, but to make it abundantly clear to our audience: We aren’t going to slow down. We aren’t going anywhere. We are here to let you speak, even if we are both ignored by MSU in the process.
A few weeks ago, while these stories grew in exposure, I lost someone very close to me.
He fought for people.
I sat back and thought about how uncommon it was for people to stand up to bullies back then.
He taught me you don’t need to be a savior for others, but when they ask you to stand up with them, no matter the trials and tribulations, you rise to the occasion.
I keep my promises, and I promise our newsroom will rise to the occasion.
We will ask the scary questions, follow the never-ending leads and deliver the facts to the MSU community.
We decided to let this newspaper speak for itself this week.
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You will find our words to be limited in this paper.
MSU’s community, our audience, is angry.
We have received several voices exhibiting a range of emotion.
We wanted to let the public claim their time.
Students, alumni and supporters of MSU are watching.
We are listening. We are paying attention. We want all of you to feel comfort in sharing stories, thoughts or emotions.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
In this paper, you will also find just a few of the powerful impact statements read during the full week of Larry Nassar’s sentencing in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Read them. Those words will outlive all of us.
Nearly a year ago, The State News Editorial Board wrote, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
The only way to find answers is to keep pushing for the university’s openness.
The State News will continue to push for the truth and our staff urges members of the MSU community to do the same. This is not the end of the university’s combative stance on truth seekers. This is just the beginning.”
The words then poignant, now powerful remind us of the importance of the truth, especially as our world at MSU continues to change beneath our feet.
It’s shattered, but it needed to happen.
The MSU community, our community, needs to be ready for what is to come.
It’s already not pretty, but it will get ugly.
Our newsroom is prepared, but we all need to be ready to ask questions and demand results.
Otherwise, what’s happened will fall to the wayside and we will have not fought for change.
The Washington Post’s Executive Editor Marty Baron was awarded the Hitchens Prize in November 2016.
Since that day, I have lived and led by his words:
“The truth is not meant to be hidden. It is not meant to be suppressed. It is not meant to be ignored. It is not meant to be disguised. It is not meant to be manipulated. It is not meant to be falsified. Otherwise, wrongdoing will persist.”
This is just the beginning, MSU. We knew it then and we know it now.
But, you must know that we, The State News will persist, so others who aim to do harm cannot.
