From the desk of iarmit

Where to begin? Surely, not at the beginning, that would not make much sense. So, let's start at the end. I've recently (as of this issue, actually) taken over the position of Editor-in-Chief of your Unfiltered Lens from David. This change was made after much discussion and deliberation, being the best for all parties concerned. David will be taking a step back, to his roots as it were, to Business Manager. He is still involved with the day-to-day operations of the Lens, but will now be able to concentrate his efforts in growing the business of the paper and still leave enough time for a life.

So, who am I, you ask? Well, I cannot help you with that metaphysical quandary, but I can tell you who I am. I am one of the very early members of the Lens, some would even call me a founding member, but I leave that distinction to those more deserving. I am that meticulous bastard that has tracked the money, counted the beans, read the rules, rewritten some of them, been compared to the Devil, and planned to save the world.

Is that better? No? Well, sadly, that is the best I can offer. Personally, I believe it is what I do and what I stand for (and what I will not) that better defines who I am. For this reason I have chosen to stand for you, to be the public face of the Lens, to accept the attacks on my personal character, to be called a cheat and a liar, to ensure that you have a strong voice in the conversation.

How will I do this? "Suivez raison," follow reason/follow the truth (or as my father would tell me, "look before you leap"), this has been my family's motto for longer than I care to find out, and one that will serve you well. We here at the Lens will continue in this spirit, to follow reason, to follow the truth. I'm not to worried about the leaping, because so long as I follow reason to the truth, my feet will always find the ground.

Back to the conversation; it is my belief that there is nothing more important than having a voice, and using it to be heard. People will listen, they must listen, when we all join together to use our collective voice. We here, the students of CCRI, are nearly 18,000 individuals. Can you just imagine what we can do? I can, and it is this vision that helps me make it through the overworked, sleepless nights, the early mornings, the pouring over stacks of papers and documents. And, in this, I am not alone. The staff of The Unfiltered Lens, from the top down and back up, believes in the power of this voice, and works tirelessly to help you use it. But we cannot do it for you, not entirely, not alone.

This is where I challenge you. I challenge you, as I have been previously challenged and as I hope you one day soon challenge the next batch, to open your eyes, to open your ears, to open your minds. See if you like things as they are now. Well, do you? If so, great, if not, what do you plan to do about it?

I know what I did, I asked questions. I challenged what I saw, what I was being offered, and asked why it was this way. True, this has not made me the most well-liked student ever to have graced the halls of CCRI, nor do I think it should. "Ink and rage," is what this paper was founded on, or so Professor Forleo would have me believe. I think of it in simpler terms: "If I haven't pissed someone off, then I am not doing my job."

Not to say that it is my goal to anger. No, my goal is to be the voice, just out of hearing, quietly repeating, "WAKE UP!" Eventually the buzzing will become enough of a reason to find out what the message is.

And, please, if you think I am wrong/off-base/making shit up, or what have you, feel free to call me out (iarmitstead@theunfilteredlens.org). Just do me the courtesy of signing your name to it, as I have always had the strength of conviction to sign my name to everything I write. I can do so because I follow reason, through an unfiltered lens, to choreograph chaos.