Taking a Principled Stand

We are a few days away from the finish line of what has been the longest, most engrossing national campaign in America's history.

As such, we have been witnessing a flurry of last-minute editorial activity as newspapers take sides, endorsing either Barack Obama or John McCain.

A few days ago, I wrote about the need for college newspapers to get involved and to encourage political participation by the young. I was gratified to see a number of endorsement editorials popping up on college newspaper web sites in recent days, and I hope that inspires young people to vote.

But, occasionally, I run across a college newspaper like the Loyola Phoenix of Loyola University in Chicago.

The editors of the Phoenix apparently gave the matter a great deal of thought, then decided not to endorse anyone because to do so would suggest an absence of objectivity. And that would damage their ability to report the news.

I commend the editors for taking a principled stand.

I might have been inclined to dismiss it as a cop-out if not for the final sentence in the editorial:

"The only thing we endorse is voting."