Recent Belmont University grad, Nathan Baker sent us a link to this image. We understand that the Circle posed this image so that the debate camouflaged tower and the shiny new Belmont Debate08 t-shirts could be combined for the cover shot of the latest edition.
Switching the display of certain symbols as a form of protest has been a historically acceptable, non-violent means to express alarm or displeasure…flying the American flag upside down, for instance, is a common distress and not-so-acceptable protest signal. Should there be a need to express concerns over the impact of the debate on student life this fall, wearing the official debate t-shirt in the manner displayed in this cover (backward) seems appropriate (and subtle). Thanks to Nate and the cover designers for providing the inspiration!
Just in case some one believes that it is presumptuous to think there might be more than mere inconvenience on the student population on campus this fall, start by asking Belmont’s soccer players about the loss of their home field and the lack of prospects for playing at Rose Park this decade.
You can’t see her face, so we may never know if she’s smiling or not =)
Also, I don’t have an issue with the shirt being backwards, as I think it’s understood that this is an artistic representation of a theme. (With good focus, color, and balance by the way). This is also a sponsored publication, which puts a greater responsibility on readers to interpret things how they wish, but this isn’t a newspaper story photo, where the idea is that if you influence the scene, you are misrepresenting reality.
Comment by Nate — July 24, 2008 @ 10:15 am