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Fire this... FUCK CENSORSHIP
Editorial | The purpose of the headline on this editorial is to show that we support college newspapers' right to run profanity
by Emerald Editorial Board |
Because of a printing error, Page 2 of the Emerald's Monday edition was replaced with a page from The Daily Barometer, the student newspaper at Oregon State University. The content that should have run on that page has been re-edited and appears in today's issue. View a PDF of Monday's Page 2 here.Usually the Emerald won't run the word "fuck" at all, much less in a bold headline. Desperate times call for desperate measures, however, which makes this the perfect moment for a strong statement in support of free speech.
Our bold text is not meant to be sensational, but is in response to another strong statement, one from the editorial board of the Rocky Mountain Collegian, the student newspaper at Colorado State University. Their statement was written in response to the Sept. 17 Tasering of Andrew Meyer, a student at the
View a digital copy of what the Rocky Mountain Collegian's editorial looked like here. |
The incident was recorded on video, and found its way to online file-sharing sites such as YouTube in a matter of hours, where it has been viewed more than 2 million times. People nationwide have expressed shock and outrage over what many have since deemed excessive use of force on the part of police. Rather than writing a lengthy editorial on the topic, the Collegian's editorial board simply wrote, "Taser this... FUCK BUSH."
Because the readership of college newspapers is college students, nearly all of whom are adults, they should be allowed to print profanity without fear of retribution. The purpose of the headline on this editorial is to show that we support college newspapers' right to run profanity.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 30
Doug Humes
posted 10/01/07 @ 10:17 AM PST
The urge to use four letter words as a way to call attention to oneself or pretend to be an adult generally begins at age 10 and lasts until about age 22, when the responsiblity to hold a job and pay off college loans becomes more important than trying to convince other adults that using curse words is the most sacred right protected by the constitution. (Continued…)
J. M. Kennedy
posted 10/01/07 @ 10:42 AM PST
When will children learn? It takes more than burning bushes that gather masses to make a difference. Keep giving the war mongers that attention: It's exactly the energy required to make benign media-junkie zombies out of beautiful create-ures. (Continued…)
Sara
posted 10/01/07 @ 3:56 PM PST
Wait is this some kind of joke that this didn't get printed today? Or just an irony?
JR
posted 10/02/07 @ 5:52 AM PST
Riddle me this, oh so clever college journalists: 'What does 'Bush' have to to with the taser incident during a Kerry rally at the University of Florida?' and 'What does censorship have to do with expecting more than a '2-word' editorial out of the 'editor'?'
McSwane displayed character of a simpleton unable to formulate an argument with his immature publishing. (Continued…)
AdamT
posted 10/02/07 @ 7:29 AM PST
Please, oh please grow up and try to represent your school as well as yourself and college journalists every where in a better light instead of this low grade theatrical attempt at shock. (Continued…)
Kenneth
posted 10/02/07 @ 8:37 AM PST
The Emerald has been using the "fuck" word since before we were all born. Anyone ever heard of "The Immorald"? Nothing to see here everyone, move along. (Continued…)
Jody
posted 10/02/07 @ 10:02 AM PST
Fuck that disrespectful puke! All you liberal fucks who think this great nation need to go live in your favorite dictator run wasteland. I bet anyone who talks like this in Cuba, Venezuela, N Korea, Iran, China, is dead in less than a week. (Continued…)
Iris
posted 10/02/07 @ 11:47 AM PST
The right to free speech is simply what it is. It does not say in a side note, "Exceptions may apply", or, "Void where sensitive". Just because some people, be it a majority or minority, feel that moral responsibility should trump the constitution, doesn't mean it should. (Continued…)
suntzuyou
posted 10/02/07 @ 11:53 AM PST
Maybe you want to use the word pooh, pee, fart, bum and stinky-bum in your next editorial. I mean, that is the on the same level of your "I wanna say bad words too" rush to demonstrate your immaturity. (Continued…)
Jeannette
posted 10/02/07 @ 12:02 PM PST
Now Jody, you've just made the liberals' point for them.
In the same way that you have the constitutional right to call people fuckers and attack their patriotism, college newspapers have the right to publish and say what they want. (Continued…)
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