Vis Lupi Est Grex

My dad used to tell me it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt. It's good advice any time, but it's especially well suited for those who serve in public office.

Lately, a number of ASUN senators have been posting hastily written responses on a variety of public forums. These messages have served chiefly to expose those senator's lack of ability to handle criticism. Sometimes there is justice to the criticism, sometimes not. In either case, officials should not engage in tit-for-tat sparring in a public forum. The content of such responses does little to serve the senator, his constituency, or the public at large.

Criticizing public officials is almost a pastime in America. I advise all officials to listen to the criticism and weigh it according to the argument of the critic. If you have to write a response in order to feel a catharsis, go right ahead. But don't hit the submit button unless you want to remove all doubt.