By Charles Louis Dominguez ’14
THE ROUNDUP

As a senior, I’ve benefitted from three years of the Summit on Human Dignity.

In every conversation following the Summit, there was always someone who would say that the Summit was great at presenting a problem that we face, but didn’t tell us how to fix it.

Whether or not you’ve attended a Summit yet, you’re bound to hear at least one of your peers share this same sentiment—even if they read this column.

It’s not always about easy answers, though.

For those of you who’ve never experienced the Summit, and for those of you who might feel as though it’s simply a week to take a break from your usual schedule, I offer this advice to you:  Approach the Summit with the most open mind you can and always consider the possibility that your viewpoint is flawed.

As the Opinions Editor for The Roundup, I cannot possibly over-emphasize the importance of well-developed opinions or open-minded people to a well-functioning society.

Trust me on this one: If you approach the Summit without preconceived notions, you’re given the opportunity to learn a lot of great information from wondrously intelligent presenters.

Even if the Summit only presents the issue, that shouldn’t underscore our need for thoughtful discourse.

This year especially, the Summit is dealing with an issue that, in our culture, is both incredibly sensitive and incredibly important.

While some might have, with the election of President Barack Obama in 2008, concluded that we live in a post-racial society, this is far from the truth.

Our conviction that racism is no longer an issue is part of what purports incidents of racism and injustice.

With such a pressing issue, it’s unlikely that we’re going to be presented with a ready-made solution.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by this, please don’t conclude that our world is a lost cause.

In the case of many topics, including this one, the solution isn’t the endgame; it’s equally important that we have our conversations and dialogues—sometimes conversations and dialogues are the solution.

And if a solution is necessary, it’s part of our social responsibility to try and think of one. Plenty of great minds are already working on it, so we’re in good company.

The Summit on Human Dignity could be one of the most formative experiences of your Brophy career and should be treated as such. Easy answers  or not.