SANTARELLI: Any given Monday

What a journey it has been. As this semester ends, my column ends with it; a culmination of the opinions and remarks I have been trying to initiate into the daily conversations of Boston University students all semester. Whether I have been your source for a sole escape from the intoxicating left atmosphere of this university, or a voice that has brought weekly agitation and disgust, I hope I provide you the send off you have been waiting for.

Any given Monday this past semester I discussed a wide range of topics on national or BU campus politics aimed at addressing the issues that most affect the American college student. I examined the culture war raging within our borders between secularism and religious freedoms. I pondered where the future of environmentalism must go. I tried to clear the name of an infamous former BU president, looked to find the BU student’s place in the current financial crisis, while all in the same month searched for a positive exit strategy for conservatives in the liberal desert that is Boston University.

When looking back at my columns over the last few months, I believe the single overriding ideology connecting my work has been a respect for consequences in government and civilized society. I have a strong belief that our institutions ‘-‘- from governments to universities ‘-‘- and individuals must be held accountable for their actions and be willing to enforce consequences upon others. This is crucial to maintain a civil society and efficient work environment. When a precedent is set that consequences don’t matter, individuals become far less productive, morally indifferent and disrespectful of authority.

Did the bailout several months back really work? The consensus from experts is that the jury is still out. While the quality of life and economic challenges the majority of Americans must face will eventually improve ‘-‘- and has already in certain areas ‘-‘- there are greater negative implications that will and are beginning to result from the government showing these banks that they could dance around the consequences of their unethical actions. Would the economy be in a bad place right now if we had not gone through with the bailout and held these economic wrongdoers accountable for their actions? Most likely, yes. However, nearly three months and $700 billion later, we stand in a deep economic hole, with more undeserving companies like the big three begging for relief. And people are still weary and nervous about their economic future. The bottom line is that little has improved in the last three months. People have only lost more respect and trust of the government’s ability to fix this situation and its moral strength and authority to stand up to these corporate giants.

While that was an example of where the government should show backbone, I thoroughly believe that individuals personally need to defend consequence in our society to uphold civility, ethics and justice. If people personally do not condemn and push for those who break the law to serve their full criminal punishment, then respect toward justice, enforcement or law itself is tarnished. If people do not object to the government consistently bailing out unworthy corporations or individuals then the lesson that the bankrupt really need to learn in order to recover is missed. If people give in to moral decline, take advantage of and skew civil rights and liberties, and only watch their fellow man abuse himself without stepping in then you remove one of the pillars our society was built upon and in turn watch it crumble.

I believe if you take a step back and compare the opposing sides, a differing opinion on consequence is at the heart of all of our differences. Whether you buy into the argument or its extent, this is what has fueled my thinking this past semester, and, this being my last column, I thought the reader deserved to know.

For the majority of this semester, I planned for my final column to see my words upset the liberal-minded, as they have in the past. I thought I wanted one more chance to watch my critics retch in fury. But to be quite honest, I hope we’ve moved past that.

When looking back on the semester, I hope I have opened readers’ eyes to some new opinions on certain issues and inspired other conservatives to have their voices heard. But if I have learned anything, it is that being overly combative, no matter how many times you may personally enjoy it, too often distracts readers from the argument you are trying to present.

The conservative voice at this school is a minority, and to a large extent greatly subdued. I hope all those of you who understand and experience this do not go silent. The belief that such a small minority deserves a place to be heard is something with which even our lefty friends would agree.