Spring Break
CSU Republicans hold public petition
Erik Myers
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
McSwane has firmly stated that he has no intention of resigning. In a statement on the Collegian's website, McSwane admitted that the editorial had a political nature, it was intended as an exercise of the First Amendment, of which the university had no control over.
"While the statement was undeniably political, we feel that the more important statement was in our support of freedom of the press and free speech on a college campus," McSwane said in the statement. "This issue, we think, has snowballed into a national controversy because our use of profanity, which can't be stopped or punished by the university."
Chelsey Penoyer, College Republicans chairman, said she felt that The Collegian had long held a liberal bias in its editorial page. Penoyer said College Republicans had been planning a conservative newsletter: 'The Ram Republic.'
"We've already been in the process of making our own paper before this happened and its all the more reason to make it," Penoyer said. "We're tired of only one voice being heard."
Student and faculty reaction to the editorial has varied.
April Williams, a junior psychology major, was one among many who signed the College Republicans' petition, but said McSwane's immediate resignation wasn't necessary, just that he needed to face the consequences of the papers' actions.
"He was trying to make a point and he did it in the wrong way," Williams said. "I signed the petition for him to resign, not necessarily because I think that he should quit right now, but because I think he needs to face some sort of repercussion."
Khongor Jamiyanka, a junior mechanical engineering major, expressed apathy at the controversy the editorial caused.
"I don't really care," Jamiyanka said. "If people don't like Bush, they should be able to express that."
Debra Walker, an English instructor, said she hadn't heard about the editorial until Monday, but her reaction had been immediate.
"I understand that people are offended by the language, and I really don't think if he's making an argument that (profanity) is going to do him any good," Walker said. "But is it his right to do that? Absolutely."
"While the statement was undeniably political, we feel that the more important statement was in our support of freedom of the press and free speech on a college campus," McSwane said in the statement. "This issue, we think, has snowballed into a national controversy because our use of profanity, which can't be stopped or punished by the university."
Chelsey Penoyer, College Republicans chairman, said she felt that The Collegian had long held a liberal bias in its editorial page. Penoyer said College Republicans had been planning a conservative newsletter: 'The Ram Republic.'
"We've already been in the process of making our own paper before this happened and its all the more reason to make it," Penoyer said. "We're tired of only one voice being heard."
Student and faculty reaction to the editorial has varied.
April Williams, a junior psychology major, was one among many who signed the College Republicans' petition, but said McSwane's immediate resignation wasn't necessary, just that he needed to face the consequences of the papers' actions.
"He was trying to make a point and he did it in the wrong way," Williams said. "I signed the petition for him to resign, not necessarily because I think that he should quit right now, but because I think he needs to face some sort of repercussion."
Khongor Jamiyanka, a junior mechanical engineering major, expressed apathy at the controversy the editorial caused.
"I don't really care," Jamiyanka said. "If people don't like Bush, they should be able to express that."
Debra Walker, an English instructor, said she hadn't heard about the editorial until Monday, but her reaction had been immediate.
"I understand that people are offended by the language, and I really don't think if he's making an argument that (profanity) is going to do him any good," Walker said. "But is it his right to do that? Absolutely."
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 69
Alum'01
posted 9/25/07 @ 6:02 AM MST
Check those petition names. I'm sure dozens will be fake. It wouldn't be the first time the GOP did that on campus. Plus, ask them where their funding is coming from - probably from the same people who want to ban books, create a theocracy, and enslave women to the kitchen. (Continued…)
jim
posted 9/25/07 @ 6:54 AM MST
Ask the GOP about Dick Chaney using the F word and the Pres flipping off on camera.
epsoccer
Eric Pattison
posted 9/25/07 @ 7:49 AM MST
Does anybody on the side of the editor have anything intelligent to discuss, or are they going to just point fingers and try and shift blame? The allowance of such an absurd comment in a school paper has to raise questions about the editor's character and decision making ability. (Continued…)
Peter
posted 9/25/07 @ 8:06 AM MST
LOL...
Well, Wednesday night is the night!
The blame everyone else time is starting.
Who cares where the funding comes from!!
Who cares that the Vice President of the United States used the F word!!
These two comments have nothing to do with the current situation. (Continued…)
Alum'01
posted 9/25/07 @ 9:49 AM MST
What has consistently amazed me about the GOP faithful is the absolute ignorance of the views that the majority of their leaders possess. Sure, they play nice around TV cameras and news reporters in order to not alarm suburban women (the coveted vote for both sides) around election time, but privately the agenda of the GOP leadership is a much, much more sinister set of philosophies. (Continued…)
Jeanne B
posted 9/25/07 @ 10:02 AM MST
This is such an embarrassment. The Collegian is supposed to be a newspaper representing the student body of Colorado State University. The editors had to know that taking this strong public political stance would immediately segregage and alienate a large percentage of the CSU student body, the alumni, and the surrounding community. (Continued…)
lynnstash
posted 9/25/07 @ 10:22 AM MST
It's easy to call for someone's resignation when you're not the one being censored. The whole point of the editorial was to call attention to abuses of our civil liberties, including the right to free speech and the freedom of the press. (Continued…)
JON
posted 9/25/07 @ 10:37 AM MST
Hey FU*K CHELSEY PENOYER! Oh my gosh, what are you and your sissy friends going to do now? Make the country resign? oh and FU*K the Republicans at the Rocky Mountain school. (Continued…)
Joshua Covington
posted 9/25/07 @ 12:14 PM MST
I support the College Republicans in speaking out on this issue and in making their petition. They have the right to say how they feel and to disagree with the Collegian editorial, but isn't it a bit much for them to say that their organization has become the voice of CSU and the greater Fort Collins community? While it is true that many agree with them, not everyone does. (Continued…)
Erin
posted 9/25/07 @ 12:31 PM MST
What really upsets me about this whole thing is the total self-absorbment of the editorial staff of this paper. They assume everyone will share their opinion or that everyone who reads this paper or has affiliation with CSU is young, progressive, liberal and foul-mouthed. (Continued…)
Post a Comment