Cockroaches in the Bathroom

“So, instead of just whining about the high price of a salad, I might instead contact the dining services, and actually ask why the price went up. I might hear the manager tell me that customers had frequently requested more chicken salad and other expensive meat dishes.  My editorial becomes an opportunity to inform, as I explain the reason for the price increase, and make a sensible suggestion -- $2.00 greens-only option” (Jerz).

I found this quote particularly striking.  I never really thought of the editorial as a way of expressing an informed disagreement but that’s just what it is.  You don’t simply say, “This is stupid” and then continue to list all of the ways that it is dumb.  Instead you question why there is a certain problem i.e. the increase in the prices of salads.  Another example would be if Iwrote an entire editorial on the dead cockroach in the bathroom located on third floor Maura.  Then instead of listing all of the reasons why this is repulsive (including that this means that they are likely in the dorms in Lowe and Canevin) isn’t simply enough or overkill.  Instead you would strive to find out why our school has this semi-secret cockroach infestation.  What is being done to cure the problem?  Do they know the problem exists?  I could interview maintenance about this issue to get some real answers.

Then I can even go on to say that I have heard (list a specific name) that other schools have cockroach issues as well.  I’ve heard that our school’s foil has cockroaches.  Possibly, as gross as it sounds, it is an inevitable fact.  You have these big, beautiful buildings.  People are not the only ones that find them attractive.  There are tons of tiny places that we do not inhabit that they can make use of.  Possibly, I could even write about cockroaches in general.  What makes them tick?  This could possibly shed even more light on the situation.  Every crack and crevice of colleges and universities cannot be cleaned like a house can be cleaned because there are large storage facilities that make excellent homes for creepy-crawlies. 

Because I kind of got away from the topic I want to make clear what I’m trying to say.  Editorials are for making a claim about something but then saying why you feel this way.  It’s meant to persuade not belittle.  Possibly by the time I would get done writing my hypothetical article I would discover that cockroaches are just a part of life that we all have to learn to deal with.

Yuck!