Student Association President Preston Came does not look like he is making a lot of friends nowadays.

With Minority Relations Adviser Quentella Heard walking out on her office and other student leaders complaining that the SA president is trying to repress the gender-inclusive debate, Came finds himself in a difficult place.

But he put himself there. By telling one of his staff not to write, as a SA representative, a letter promoting gender-inclusive language to The Northern Star, Came blocks the purpose of student government.

Came should promote debate and not stifle it in the name of unity. Sure, unity is important to show power, but real unity does not come through by telling others to shut up.

If the SA has done anything well since its beginning, it is debating. Many people may see the hours of debate the senate goes through every week as unproductive, but this is what having a student voice is all about—getting student issues aired.

If Came would like to have simple ten-minute meetings where the agenda is marked off like clockwork, then maybe he should get rid of his staff and create a network of ten computer advisers. Then, all he has to do is make his own program to produce his own output.

But hopefully, Came realizes students are not computers. They are different people with unique ideas.

Without debate, real cohesion would be impossible. Without letting others have their say in public, the SA loses one of the few strengths it has. Instead of telling others to shut up, Came is the one who needs to do the shutting up.