2008 Woodie Awards
CSU versus the First Amendment
Phil Elder
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Opinion
Editor's note: this column contains harsh language.
The CSU newspaper is in serious trouble.
For those unaware of the recent events circulating around the Collegian, I will briefly recap.
On Friday, after a vote by the opinion editors, the words "Taser this … Fuck Bush" were printed as the board's article for the day. This action taken has since caused national uproar, from CSU College Republicans to Rush Limbaugh himself, and has led to the request of the editor in chief's resignation.
Though the article was within the boundaries of, and protected by, U.S. and Colorado law, hundreds on the CSU campus have made their voices heard and channeled their frustration towards David McSwane, the editor in chief.
Though they cannot demand his release due to the legality of the piece, this group has offered many arguments against both the newspaper's article and its main editor, and I would like to share some of these arguments with you.
"The article shows bias in the newspaper."
Yeah, it does. My articles show bias every week. That's the point of the opinion page: if it weren't biased it would just be news.
"It was inappropriate for the high school kids touring campus that day."
How many high school kids do you know that don't know, understand and use the word "fuck?" For most of us that word is introduced in elementary school, and to think that we were somehow exposing fragile minds to a crude concept is preposterous.
"Writing 'fuck Bush' was offensive to many CSU students."
Last week the Collegian printed an opinion column advocating the military support of Israel, infamous for the systemized displacement, destruction and murder of the Palestinian people.
They have run many columns in praise of China, whose annexation and destruction of all surrounding cultures and peoples is deplorable at best.
How is dissent towards the nation's leader more offensive than support of institutionalized murder?
The CSU newspaper is in serious trouble.
For those unaware of the recent events circulating around the Collegian, I will briefly recap.
On Friday, after a vote by the opinion editors, the words "Taser this … Fuck Bush" were printed as the board's article for the day. This action taken has since caused national uproar, from CSU College Republicans to Rush Limbaugh himself, and has led to the request of the editor in chief's resignation.
Though the article was within the boundaries of, and protected by, U.S. and Colorado law, hundreds on the CSU campus have made their voices heard and channeled their frustration towards David McSwane, the editor in chief.
Though they cannot demand his release due to the legality of the piece, this group has offered many arguments against both the newspaper's article and its main editor, and I would like to share some of these arguments with you.
"The article shows bias in the newspaper."
Yeah, it does. My articles show bias every week. That's the point of the opinion page: if it weren't biased it would just be news.
"It was inappropriate for the high school kids touring campus that day."
How many high school kids do you know that don't know, understand and use the word "fuck?" For most of us that word is introduced in elementary school, and to think that we were somehow exposing fragile minds to a crude concept is preposterous.
"Writing 'fuck Bush' was offensive to many CSU students."
Last week the Collegian printed an opinion column advocating the military support of Israel, infamous for the systemized displacement, destruction and murder of the Palestinian people.
They have run many columns in praise of China, whose annexation and destruction of all surrounding cultures and peoples is deplorable at best.
How is dissent towards the nation's leader more offensive than support of institutionalized murder?
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 105
Craig Hawley
posted 9/27/07 @ 4:36 AM MST
Well Phil Ill try to use big boy words. Let's see if I get this correctly. This guy McSwane drops an F bomb and you think there should be no consequences because he is a good editor. (Continued…)
CAS127
posted 9/27/07 @ 6:44 AM MST
McSwane is free to publish his sub-literate statement (I personally was dazzled by his display of intelligent, well-reasoned analyis) and the people who directly/indirectly fund the paper are free to pull their support in order to try and put it out of business. (Continued…)
Gene McConnell
posted 9/27/07 @ 6:50 AM MST
Is McSwane being threatened with arrest and imprisonmnt? Is he being threatened with deportation? If the answer to either of these questions is no, then his first amendment rights are not being violated. (Continued…)
Alumni
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:01 AM MST
McSwane has made CSU look very foolish, very childish and exceptionally low class. I am embarrassed for my alma mater and hope people nationwide realize McSwane's action is just an attempt at an individual trying desparately to draw attention to himself. (Continued…)
Donald Hackett
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:05 AM MST
Go to this website http://www.epic.org/free_speech/
Obscenity IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT!!
There are multiple case rulings by the Supreme Court. (Continued…)
Ashamed Alumni
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:07 AM MST
"If David McSwane is let go, there are no replacements for him."
What a silly statement.
The reality of the situation is that there are plenty of qualified and competent people who would excel as editor in chief. (Continued…)
You want alumni money and this is how you repay us
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:31 AM MST
Thanks for all the great publicity, McSwane. It's rare that CSU gets any kind of nation mention, but I'd take that over national ridicule. I don't care about the language, I care about the judgement. (Continued…)
Sean Greene
posted 9/27/07 @ 9:15 AM MST
Well I finally found something to disagree with you on. You ackowledge Bush as "the nation's leader". Bush never has been, is not, and never will be my leader. (Continued…)
Mindy
posted 9/27/07 @ 9:32 AM MST
Pulling this "we want people to think about and discuss free speech" bit out of his ass was the best thing that has ever happened to McSwane. I honestly don't think that was ever his, nor the editorial board's intentions. (Continued…)
Mindy
posted 9/27/07 @ 9:36 AM MST
And one more thing: I don't think the argument is "high school students visiting read the F-bomb.."
This paper is distributed throughout the city, in restaurants. (Continued…)
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