Part of being a student of journalism is learning when – and how, sometimes – to apologize when you have made a mistake. Having professors who beat the concept of accountability into your head helps, but it is the practice that truly teaches the lesson.

Before I go any further, I have to say that I do not take back anything I have written in my columns. I still believe that Student Government Association Speaker, Jared Nokes, did not handle the refusal to recognize the ALANA Caucus as diplomatically as he could have. It is also certain to me that there are members of the SGA that prefer to follow their own agendas and push through their own motions, rather than pay attention to anyone with a dissenting opinion.

However, I was present for parts of the first SGA meeting of the school year Oct. 1, and I saw the utter hatred that spewed from the mouths of some of those in attendance. The loathing was not one sided.

Gladys Franco stood up and gave an account of what happened this summer, to a rather tepid showing of support from senators both new and old. Olaf Aprans, the Chair of University Policy, managed to offend senators from ALANA, newly elected senators who ran because of the ALANA crisis and Nokes, in a speech that was more convoluted than coherent.

While I completely agree that Nokes isn’t brave enough to have acted alone in the decision-making, Aprans hung himself out to dry with the use of phrases like “let’s not hang ourselves.” Not a smart thing to say to a group comprised of some very angry senators who are crying racism in senate proceedings.

My job as a columnist is to opine on issues of importance to me, but this does not mean that I have to be biased. Some of my favorite columnists in mainstream media are unabashedly one-sided in their writing. I admire that, and I admire their writing, but that is not who I am, nor who I wish to become.

It has become startlingly clear to me that my knee-jerk outrage at Nokes’ announcement at the beginning of this semester blinded me from seeing the truth about others’ behavior.

I have been decrying the lack of equality in the SGA, but I haven’t been practicing what I preach. Jared Nokes could very well be the scum of the Earth, but it is not my place to call him that. My job is to try to draw attention to whatever issue I choose to write about. But, that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t take into consideration an opposing view or opinion.

The behavior at the first SGA meeting – not just of Nokes and his crowd, but also of the ALANA Caucus – made me see that I may have unfairly singled out someone to blame for a situation that is not solely his fault. While Nokes certainly didn’t help the situation with his constant contradictions and flat-out lying, there was no need for me to add to the persecution of a boy who might not have the chutzpah to act independently of his lackeys. Especially when it’s clear that Nokes and his crew are not the only ones with their own agendas.

Members of the ALANA Caucus attempted to verbally lynch Nokes at the first SGA meeting. They called him racist, they called him fascist, and they called for his resignation as Speaker. They ignored parliamentary procedure, and they cut down and insulted anyone who tried to make a point that opposed theirs. In short, they did everything that they have been accusing Nokes and his boys of doing.

It was wrong for Nokes to announce that appointed seats would not be recognized in the way that he did. It is true that he contradicts himself every time he opens his mouth and that he has probably done something worthy of impeachment. But the members of ALANA who serve as senators have acted as despicably as Nokes, and they should be publicly called to the carpet as well. Until now, they have successfully hidden behind the title of “the oppressed,” and had I not gone to the first SGA meeting, I might not have seen the truth.

It is not time for only Nokes to shape up or ship out. The members of ALANA need to realize that they are not being taken seriously because they act in a manner that is unbecoming of a large university senate. This is not high school. The SGA is charged with making pretty serious decisions that won’t get made as long as there are petty disputes taking up the majority of the meetings.

This is not to say that I do not support ALANA in their quest for equality in the senate. I do. This is also not to say that I support Jared Nokes, at all. I don’t.

But, it’s hard to watch someone get reamed without defending himself because he is trying to be professional, and follow parliamentary procedure. I’m sure Nokes would like nothing more than to speak his mind on all of this, but he hasn’t. He has been publicly silent, letting everyone else tear him apart without retort. That makes him better than most, and I almost admire him for that.

I have always rooted for the underdog. There are those that are predicting that Nokes will be impeached, and leave in disgrace. After witnessing members of the senate trying to tear Nokes down, I have one thing to say: I may not agree with everything Nokes says or does, but here’s to him proving them wrong.