Sweet relief will soon be at hand for all the campus liberals; this will be my final column for the Daily Kent Stater.

Writing this column has been an enjoyable experience. I’ve had the opportunity to learn about dozens of topics and the editorial freedom to address them properly. I’ve been able to point out what’s right about this nation and this university, but also what’s wrong; I’m proud to say I found more of the former than of the latter.

In writing my columns, I always felt the editorial freedom I was given came with a responsibility. And, because of that, it was my practice never to shy away from a topic because it was controversial, but also never to select a topic for the same reason.

My columns were never about shock value; they were about putting forth a pointed, well-reasoned perspective. And, absent a few minor points, I’m proud to say I’ve never wavered on my analysis. I’ve yet to be convinced the overall theme of any column was wrong.

When I wrote about there being no constitutional right to health care, a particularly unpopular column, I stood up for all the individuals who would have been taxed into submission if there were such a right. When I wrote about scientists from the United Kingdom and China creating hybrid human-animal embryos, I stood up for humanity at its most basic level — we’re better than that. And, when I wrote about how liberal social policies trap America’s poor into cycles of dependency, I stood up for the people truly in need of help.

But those are just some of the selected causes toward which I’ve bent my editorial wit; there’s certainly a much larger database of them out there. I’ve proudly offered this newspaper’s readership with substance week after week.

That isn’t to say there hasn’t been some nice refutation attempts mounted against my columns. Unfortunately, these were scattered in between the ad hominem attacks and straw-man fallacies. I sincerely appreciate any honest disagreement. And, in a way, I appreciate the dishonest agreement because at least it demonstrated readership.

But my time here at Kent State has been marked by more than just column writing; I had the opportunity to lead the College Republicans’ club and watch it mature under two subsequent leaders. It has a great future ahead of it, and I’m confident it will continue to grow.

But, never one to hold back, I wholeheartedly embraced the concept of student government and did my best to faithfully energize our campus’s leaders and give them the best of my wisdom. I struggled with other members of the student government and organizational leaders of all backgrounds to bring diverse, quality student-run programs. And I’m proud of what we brought to this campus.

It would have been easy to make excuses, such as I’m simply overwhelmed with classwork and friends, but I never did that; I was always ready to stand up and interject what I thought was right into this campus.

So, that’s my challenge to anyone left here on campus — stand up for something or else this crazy university will fall for anything.

Matthew White is signing off. Criticize him at [email protected].