To the Wheaton community:
After releasing The Record this week, our staff has been made aware of many concerns regarding the page-one interview with Alexander Lim, charged with illegal video-taping. Many students feel that The Record presented Lim’s account in a way that is insensitive, disrespectful and damaging. Students expressed concerns that by allowing Lim a platform to speak, The Record further marginalized and isolated those affected by his actions.
At the beginning of this year, The Record decided that our mission would be “to tell the truth,” whatever that may entail. We strive to relay information to the community in a way that is accurate, responsible, and faithful to our role as journalists and our identity as Christians.
While I feel that our coverage of Alex Lim’s interview reflected our mission to speak truth, I understand that it did not tell the full story. Due to significant limitations of accessible information, The Record was unable to provide coverage that was more balanced and sensitive.
Please know that our decision came after much thought and deliberation, consultation with numerous lawyers, faculty members, advisers, and most importantly, prayer. The Record weighed strenuous legal questions with our responsibility to report our information, all in less than a day. In retrospect, I did not sufficiently consider the implications of the decision.
In Friday’s “Q&A with the Administration,” President Ryken said that people can rarely hold justice and mercy with the same hands at the same time. During the process of writing the article, The Record wrestled with incorporating justice and mercy.
Looking forward, we pray for grace and humility as we strive to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Lord,” both at The Record, and as a community. It is our hope that these conversations will foster growth and reconciliation at Wheaton.
In our edition next week, The Record is going to take a more comprehensive look at these issues in a way that we hope is respectful and illuminating.
To the women who were hurt by our article: I acknowledge your pain, and apologize for contributing to your hurt and despair. I feel the weight of broken trust and grieving hearts.
Through the grace of God, may we heal as a community, moving towards peace, justice and unity.
Sincerely,
Abigail Reese
Editor In Chief
*As of now, the Q&A will not be posted online.