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Editorial V-IpiIUOII
The cost of
free speech (Tslept withFtincss t , ~.
Controversy abounds this week in State College, V / _j
PA, after a controversial column advocating violence \ Or £>taircC>.
ran in last Tuesday's edition of The Daily Collegian. nrVp> I v /
Chino Wilson, a sportswriter for the newspaper, TOllUm
wrote the column which called 85 to 90 percent of I “
white people devout racists and stated, "white people 1 (]'
are devils." (See story on front page.) |{
Many students are upset with the violent I * l
suggestions the columnist makes. Some have
demanded that the newspaper take action against
Wilson, perhaps removing him from the staff.
Protesters have been seen in front of The Daily
Collegian's office, one with a sign reading
"Collegian Prints Racist Trash."
Despite these protests, and a windfall of letters
and phone calls, the editors of the newspaper have
decided not to take any disciplinary action against
Wilson.
How could they?
Many people will argue that in writing this
column, Wilson was merely exercising his right to
freedom of speech (expression) as protected by the
First Amendment.
That's true. People have the right to express
themselves freely. That is one of the most basic and
important rights we enjoy as Americans.
The columnist was well within his rights.
However, the editors that decided to run the column
in The Daily Collegian were not acting responsibly.
They have abused their positions by allowing a
potentially riot-inciting piece to appear in their
newspaper.
The power the media wields in the modern age is
tremendous. Such irresponsible journalism should
not be tolerated.
No one should deny this writer his right to
express himself, but such violence-invoking material
has no place in a responsible publication.
The Collegian
Published weekl
Editor
Todd J. Irwin
Business Manager
Adrienne Shrawder
The Collegian's editorial-—.,
opinion is determined by the
editorial staff, with the editor
holding final responsibility.
Opinions expressed in The
Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or The
Pennsylvania State University.
Features Editor
Robb Frederick
Hews Editor
Mark Owens
Entertainment Editor
Christi Loden
Sports Editor
Greg Geibel
Photo Coordinator
Craig Breter
Copy Editor
Dawn Brenneman
the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Ad Layout A Design
Rob Pfendier
Distribution Manager
Joe Mycka
Advisor
Dr. Mike Simmons
Letter Policy: The Collegian
encourages letters on news
coverage, editorial content and
university affairs. Letters should
be typewritten, double-spaced
and signed by no more than two
persons. Letters should be no*
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester
standing and major of the writer.
All letters should provide the
address and phone number of the
writer for verification of the
letter. The Collegian reserves the
right to edit tetters for length and
to reject letters. Letters should be
submitted to The Collegian
office no later than noon on the
Tuesday prior to the desired
publication date.
Postal Information: The
Collegian (814 898-6488) is
published weekly by the students
of The Pennsylvania State
University at Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J.
Elmer Reed Union Building*
Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
Letters to the Editor
SGA thrashed
I was disappointed in The
Collegian's blurred focus on
student government last week.
Furthermore, your editorial
appears to be a commentary on
the assorted "facts" revealed in the
SGA article ("Politics on
campus: Personality clashes mar
SGA image") which fails to
justify any major restructuring.
I cannot dispute the factual
accuracy of the article, had it been
published in November of 1991
when it was written.
Unfortunately in the two months
that have passed since my
colleagues in SGA were
interviewed, the article has aged
less than gracefully. Furthermore,
considering the selection of
quotations, an intentional
thrashing of SGA seemed the
order of business that issue
instead of honest reporting.
The editorial ("Students'
interest or student interest
groups?) contained in the same
issue is an insult to the student
body's intelligence.
Everybody must realize that
the members of student
government arc as busy as
anyone else. Therefore, we cannot
afford to dedicate 24 hours a day
to student government without
neglecting academics or
employment.
1 say this to emphasize the
difference between us and a
professional politician who can
work full time for their
constituents. Instead, we
welcome the Council Presidents
to voting positions on SGA as
they bring with them a specialty
knowledge that the senators
cannot possibly acquire without
being actively involved in every
single organization on campus.
I thoroughly agree that some
students do have more than one
representative, but I fail to see
how this shorts anybody. Any
concerned student is welcome to
bring any comments or concerns
to the SGA office. Also, they arc
welcome to call us...our phone
numbers arc listed separately
inside the front cover of the
student phone directory.
(Incidentally, that student
directory is a product of student
government and its divisions.)
I fail to see your justification
for concerns that some students
are over-represented. If a student
is actively involved in a variety
of activities, we should be able to
accurately represent his concerns,
and this is uniquely possible with
the current system.
I realize that The Collegian is
understaffed, or at least I gathered
that from counting but ten
different writers attempting to fill
a twelve page paper, but I fail to
see how an inadequate staff is
justification for such shallow
journalism techniques. In the
future, please print your articles
in a more timely fashion, or at
least have the courtesy to update
them sufficiently before
publication.
Greg Farrell
Sixth semester
Economics
What day?
Only your (Tom Strunk,
columnist for The Collegian)
much despised cultural relativist
would agree with your analysis of
"academic freedom" and
"democratic government" a;
practised by "the Greeks and
Romans."
From their inception and for
centuries, universities served to
educate priests, nobody else, and
those "questioning] natural
phenomena scientifically" did so
not in "academic freedom" but
against established authority.
Basing my definition of
"democratic government" on the
most fundamental of its
principles-one person, one votc-
I dare say only this century has
Thursday, February 6, 1992
seen it anywhere. As for
"spreading culture," any
cultivator will tell you that
what's spread often stinks.
However, what slinks often
gives growth to beautiful flowers
and nourishing plants, and it
seems to me that "western
civilization's" one redeeming
feature has been its ability to
accommodate growth and change.
Thus, your tirade against "multi
culluralism" goes against the
grain of "western civilization"
rather than supports it. We can
all deplore the excesses of
whichever group that promotes
its own interests, but we need to
remember that those interests are
defined by resistance to change.
The absurdities of multi
culturalism come only in
response to the stubborn
resistance of policy-makers to
share political power. "Good
intentions" turn into frustration
eventually, and only through
massive frustration does change
occur. If you accuse the multi
culturalists of wanting to "divide
America into warring factions
similar to those of Eastern
Europe," you also need to
recognize that by doing so you
equate the U.S. government with
the repressive Soviet regime and
the multi-culturalists with the
freedom seeking Soviet peoples.
An analogy I don't think you
intended to draw.
What has happened in the
U.S. since the death of Dr. King
and the civil rights' movement?
Nixon, Ford, Carter (he never had
a chance), Reagan, and Bush
barbarian (in the ancient sense of
the word: "non-Greek" and "non-
Roman" [Dukakis and Cuomo,
anyone?]) do-nothing's. Culture
means growth. The only things
growing in the U.S. today arc
dissatisfaction (yours, mine,
everyone's) and the national debt.
Forget "Indigenous People's
Day"; let's get together to
celebrate Indignant People's Day.
Monica Irwin
Lecturer of English