If asking a controversial, self-styled savior of democracy to speak on campus is what it takes to wake the SIUC community from its apathetic political slumber, maybe reliving Ollie-gate was not so bad.

Oliver North’s visit to campus Tuesday night revealed the SIUC community is just as concerned about political ideology as it is concerned about bar-entry ages.

North’s visit revealed SIUC is just as concerned about questionable U.S. government foreign policy as it is concerned about campus parking problems.

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North’s visit revealed SIUC is just as concerned about the ideas of patriotism and democracy as it is concerned about partying on the Strip.

And the weeks of debates, opinions and protests leading up to North’s speech on campus Tuesday night may not have been just a brief departure from SIUC’s long observed tradition of political apathy.

Whether or not SIUC community members considered North to be a criminal, a fall guy or a hero, those who espoused any opinions about him contributed to the stimulating, politically charged discussions throughout the campus. North told 950 of us to define our own concepts of freedom, justice and government when he spoke at Shryock Auditorium, but many of us already had endeavored to do so.

Some of us hailed North’s arming of Nicaraguan rebels during the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s as an example of democracy and patriotism at their best. Some of us were disgusted by North’s actions, believing them to be criminal or unethical at the very least. And still some of us did not like the College Republicans’ decision to bring North to campus.

But North offered all of us a unique look at recent U.S. history for better or worse and we grabbed it.

About 100 people attended Monday’s panel discussion, Patriotism Never Looked So Bad, allowing themselves to examine the federal government’s misdoings not just North’s wrongs alone during the Iran-Contra scandal. Tuesday night, protesters lined up outside of Shryock Auditorium before North’s speech in an effort to convey their own opinions. Some SIUC students were able to discuss North’s impending visit in classes and some of them may return to those classes ready to discuss the ideas North brought to campus with him.

Had North visited SIUC and left the campus without anyone voicing an opinion, that apathy would have been unthinkable.

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Like it or not, Oliver North brought some good to our campus and that good did not leave SIUC with him. Campuswide debate and concern about meaningful issues that fall outside the realm of our small, rural college-town existence speaks volumes about SIUC’s newfound political awareness.