I'm currently taking a media law class required for all School of Media Arts and Design undergraduates. In our first few weeks of study we have discussed the history of the 1st amendment as a defense in US court cases. It's amazing how many controversies still exist related to the 1st amendment, and browsing through the headlines this morning, I found an extremely disturbing one.
Colorado State University's student newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, published an editorial on September 21 reading "Taser this...(expletive) BUSH."
click here to read the editorial (contains offensive language)
I'm assuming the editorial is a twisted play on words reflecting Meyer's heated exclamation, "Don't Taser me bro!" However, if the point of the editorial was to bring more attention to the Meyer controversy, it failed miserably. The Collegian posted a letter from the editor, David McSwane, online that expressed it's intention in publishing the editorial:
The First Amendment is at the very core of what we do as a newspaper. We as journalists wish to celebrate it, utilize it and, sometimes, defend it. The Collegian editorial board, a group of seven student editors charged with determining a staff editorial for each issue, voted to run the editorial statement. This vote was a split vote, but the board as a whole as agreed to stand behind this decision and to continue the Collegian tradition. (www.collegian.com)
Okay. Firstly, I'm not exactly sure how printing this editorial "celebrates" the first amendment, but in undoubtedly "unitlizes" it. Secondly, I think that most people would agree that the role of a newspaper is to bring together a community and provide all with an equal opportunity to be informed. I think this is especially true in the case of a student newspaper. Now I realize that this was the editorial page that the staff was in charge of, but that does not mean that their responsibility as journalists disappears. Where is the educational value in such a statement? How does it benefit the community? According to the letter from the editor, it has instead divided the community and sparked outrage. Thirdly, I think the editorial is unoriginal and cliche. In these troubling times, you hear vulgar sentiments toward Bush on a daily basis. I believe the one reason this one is gathering national attention is because it's from a student newspaper. Instead of publishing something that is worth reading and possibly challenges current ways of thought, they published something vulgar and irresponsible. It makes the university look childish, and their excuse that they were merely exercising their 1st amendment rights is a simple crutch and immature excuse for thoughtless behavior.
Okay. Firstly, I'm not exactly sure how printing this editorial "celebrates" the first amendment, but in undoubtedly "unitlizes" it. Secondly, I think that most people would agree that the role of a newspaper is to bring together a community and provide all with an equal opportunity to be informed. I think this is especially true in the case of a student newspaper. Now I realize that this was the editorial page that the staff was in charge of, but that does not mean that their responsibility as journalists disappears. Where is the educational value in such a statement? How does it benefit the community? According to the letter from the editor, it has instead divided the community and sparked outrage. Thirdly, I think the editorial is unoriginal and cliche. In these troubling times, you hear vulgar sentiments toward Bush on a daily basis. I believe the one reason this one is gathering national attention is because it's from a student newspaper. Instead of publishing something that is worth reading and possibly challenges current ways of thought, they published something vulgar and irresponsible. It makes the university look childish, and their excuse that they were merely exercising their 1st amendment rights is a simple crutch and immature excuse for thoughtless behavior.
Click here to read the entire letter from the editor
Click here to read further coverage from Fox News Online about the CSU controversy
Click here to read further coverage from Fox News Online about the CSU controversy
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