I was spending Monday night the way I spend most Monday nights – checking the next day’s Herald for misspellings and comma splices.

So, I was singing a Say Anything song out loud across from probably my only coworker who would tolerate such things and reading about a national debate about lowering the drinking age to 18 when I came across a disturbing quote.

President Gary Ransdell said he doesn’t have an opinion on the issue because both sides have valid points, but Western will respect whatever the law is.

“We will shape our values based on what’s right and best for WKU,” he said. “We’ll not allow our values to be shaped by some national debate.”

It was comforting to know that Western representatives don’t intend to break the law. But I wonder how Ransdell can think that national debate, which influences policy decisions, won’t affect the laws Western will be expected to follow.

Western’s values are completely shaped by national debate that influences public policy, and administrators and students on the Hill don’t get a say in those values if they aren’t involved in the debate.

I’m 22.

Honestly, I don’t care whether people on campus are rallying behind abolishing a drinking age or behind outlawing alcohol. Well, I do care, but that’s not the point.

The point is that it’s a republic, people.

If Western students and representatives aren’t shaping policy for the university, who is?

I’m not asking for Kent State, I’m asking for forums and guest speakers on the issue. Let’s have surveys and open mics dedicated to discussion of this and other controversial issues.

Never back down. Never let politicians wrest away the issues that affect us.

Write letters to lawmakers. Put car marker messages on your windows. Just do something.

The greatest threat to democracy is apathy. Let’s make some waves.

To Western administrators, I return the same advice they gave to students during budget cuts last year. “Be loud. Be aggressive. Raise hell. And don’t apologize for it.”

The opinions expressed in this commentary do not reflect those of the Herald or the university.