Reguarding David McSwane and Free Speech.....Their response to my letter

[AnneD]

I sent a letter of support for David McSwane Editorial. It was as follows:

I tend to hold the Abraham Lincoln view that by allowing free speech to any idiot, especially an idiot, we are able to remove all shadows of doubt. I wondered if Bush was an idiot when he was Governor of my state of Texas. I now have no doubt at all that this is indeed true. Now these kids may not have expressed their views as eloquently as Lincoln, but these are exasperating times.

Through out the last 7 years the voices that would normally challenge political ideologues have been silenced for reasons of misplace patriotism. Voices that challenged the pretext for war in Iraq were dismissed as unpatriotic at best and aiding terrorism or actually being terrorists at worst.

The Bill of Rights seems to be getting shorter and shorter these days and frankly, people without a voice, that are continually ignored become angry and hostile. Why should anyone express their God given right to free speech be tasered? Why should they be denied this most basic of rights. The solution is not to cut them off but to have a more intelligent response. I think the solution to your problems would be to allow a rebuttal response. In the market place that is ideas, let the best person win.

I served in the military. I did my duty to my country so we could have free speech, among other rights. Democracy is not always neat, tidy , or quiet. But it is the most just system we have.


Thank you for allowing you editorial staff exercise those rights.



Anne D


They responded with the following:

Dear Ms. D,



Thanks for sharing your views. We will be sharing all comments received with the Board of Student Communications, which serves as the publisher of The Collegian. If you would like to make your views known to them directly, please e-mail the chairman of the Board, Professor James Landers, at [e-mail]



While this editorial is upsetting and offensive to many people, CSU, as a state institution, is prohibited by law from censoring or regulating the content of its student media publications. The Collegian is a self-funded publication not supported by student fees and not affiliated with our journalism department. The student editor in chief, David McSwane, has full responsibility for the newspaper’s content.



While many people would like the University to control the content of the student newspaper, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution precludes a state institution like CSU from exercising prior restraint on expression with regard to public areas such as student newspapers, based on the content of the messages or ideas expressed therein. This has been repeatedly tested and upheld in the courts. For that reason, the University may not, under clearly established legal principles, attempt to control or dictate the content of what The Collegian has published or may publish in the future. Some perceive this as weak and have said we’re just “wrapping ourselves in the First Amendment,” but bottom line: It’s the law of the United States, and we respect that law. Students, readers, and concerned citizens, on the other hand, are not bound by the same limitations and are fully encouraged to make their views, whether positive or negative, known to the editor and Board of Student Communications. The Board is made up of student and faculty representatives and it is the official body that has the authority to hire, train, discipline, and if needed, remove student editorial staff. The Board will be meeting Wednesday evening to consider whether any action is warranted in this case.



This is a system for due process that belongs to the students at CSU and the readership of the Collegian, and the CSU administration is committed to letting the process work.



Thanks again for writing,



Cara Neth

Director, Presidential and Administrative Communications

Office of the President




It was a good day for Democracy.....
:applause:

[AnneD]

1. For those who may not remember.....

Calls for student editor to resign after 'F**k Bush' column



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3005079

[11 Bravo]

2. Good for you!

An excellent letter, well-written and thoughtful.