Death to thieves, part 1-point-8-niner
Once in a while, I questioned free speech at Chico State when I was student there.
When I was an opinion columnist at The Orion, I wrote a column questioning an A.S.-sponsored program soliciting donations for environmental activists. A letter to the editor in response basically told me to shut up.
I think it was my work at The Orion that made me so sensitive to free speech issues. Now that I'm writing for a newspaper full-time, it's all the more relevant. But I still realize that college newspapers are particularly vulnerable to those that want to stifle open communication.
All in all, I graduated still having my doubts about the actual state of free speech at Chico State. How open of a campus is it, really?
A recent incident appears to be confirming my concerns.
On April 12, 2,500 copies of The Orion were stolen from racks all over campus, apparently in opposition to the editorial, which recommended no votes on sustainability measures in the A.S. election. (Another story on the theft)
Congratulations, members of that class that wrote the ballot measure. Your (lack of) intelligence is showing.
The Orion has very clearly on A-1 wording that states people can take one free, then must pay 50 cents for each additional copy. That was added in case something like this ever happened, because now the thief/thieves can be held responsible for approximately $1,250 in damages in the theft.
Since the value of the stolen items is over the threshold making this grand theft, this is now [drumroll] a felony!
But these thieves (and that's what they are) are dumb for a number of reasons. These measures are in the A.S. elections, which only about 3,000 or 4,000 students even bother to vote in, anyways. If there's a run-off election, it'll be a miracle if 500 students take part. Is The Orion's editorial recommending a "no" vote so big of a deal that people have to say "Ohmigosh, let's keep everybody from seeing that, then our measure can win!" If you have to rely on committing a felony to get you ballot measure elected, isn't it quite possible that it sucked to begin with?
Also, look at recent history. Think back to the whole Chi Tau incident. That was a rough spot for the Greek system in general. Nobody jacked all the papers on campus then. The Phi Kappa Tau porn incident. Nobody jacked all the papers then. I wrote a column ripping on the frats that chose to lose university recognition. They didn't steal the papers. The softball season getting cancelled was on the front page. Nobody jacked all the paper on campus then. Yet a ballot measure in a student election — now there's something to get riled up about! Anybody else catching my sarcasm and the logical fallacy of the criminals in that?
But, looking beyond the idiots themselves, I think this is a real chance for the university (and city) to put up or shut up about how much they really believe in the First Amendment.
In the early stages, at least from my perspective, it appears to be shutting up.
Back in November, Chico State President Paul Zingg signed a letter saying he would not allow himself or any university official to censor The Orion. As an editor, I watched him sign it.
Just two weeks ago, it took him less than 24 hours to send out an email to the university condemning a hate crime on a student that occurred off campus.
I checked my student email account (which is still active) today, and I don't see any sort of letter condemning the on-campus theft of the student newspaper — the primary protector and defender of a student's First Amendment rights.
I wait to see if the Chico City Council will say or do anything to condemn the action, but I'm not holding my breath.
I know a lot of people are taking this seriously. Hell, my roommate thought it was funny. So I flipped him off.
I find this all very disturbing, to say the least. Universities are supposed to be these great, grand places that support the open exchange of ideas to its fullest potential, even that speech which others don't like.
Stealing The Orion is a gigantic slap in the face to that. Whether you like the contents of The Orion or not, this is a serious deal and should be looked at with worry by everybody connected to Chico State.
When I was an opinion columnist at The Orion, I wrote a column questioning an A.S.-sponsored program soliciting donations for environmental activists. A letter to the editor in response basically told me to shut up.
I think it was my work at The Orion that made me so sensitive to free speech issues. Now that I'm writing for a newspaper full-time, it's all the more relevant. But I still realize that college newspapers are particularly vulnerable to those that want to stifle open communication.
All in all, I graduated still having my doubts about the actual state of free speech at Chico State. How open of a campus is it, really?
A recent incident appears to be confirming my concerns.
On April 12, 2,500 copies of The Orion were stolen from racks all over campus, apparently in opposition to the editorial, which recommended no votes on sustainability measures in the A.S. election. (Another story on the theft)
Congratulations, members of that class that wrote the ballot measure. Your (lack of) intelligence is showing.
The Orion has very clearly on A-1 wording that states people can take one free, then must pay 50 cents for each additional copy. That was added in case something like this ever happened, because now the thief/thieves can be held responsible for approximately $1,250 in damages in the theft.
Since the value of the stolen items is over the threshold making this grand theft, this is now [drumroll] a felony!
But these thieves (and that's what they are) are dumb for a number of reasons. These measures are in the A.S. elections, which only about 3,000 or 4,000 students even bother to vote in, anyways. If there's a run-off election, it'll be a miracle if 500 students take part. Is The Orion's editorial recommending a "no" vote so big of a deal that people have to say "Ohmigosh, let's keep everybody from seeing that, then our measure can win!" If you have to rely on committing a felony to get you ballot measure elected, isn't it quite possible that it sucked to begin with?
Also, look at recent history. Think back to the whole Chi Tau incident. That was a rough spot for the Greek system in general. Nobody jacked all the papers on campus then. The Phi Kappa Tau porn incident. Nobody jacked all the papers then. I wrote a column ripping on the frats that chose to lose university recognition. They didn't steal the papers. The softball season getting cancelled was on the front page. Nobody jacked all the paper on campus then. Yet a ballot measure in a student election — now there's something to get riled up about! Anybody else catching my sarcasm and the logical fallacy of the criminals in that?
But, looking beyond the idiots themselves, I think this is a real chance for the university (and city) to put up or shut up about how much they really believe in the First Amendment.
In the early stages, at least from my perspective, it appears to be shutting up.
Back in November, Chico State President Paul Zingg signed a letter saying he would not allow himself or any university official to censor The Orion. As an editor, I watched him sign it.
Just two weeks ago, it took him less than 24 hours to send out an email to the university condemning a hate crime on a student that occurred off campus.
I checked my student email account (which is still active) today, and I don't see any sort of letter condemning the on-campus theft of the student newspaper — the primary protector and defender of a student's First Amendment rights.
I wait to see if the Chico City Council will say or do anything to condemn the action, but I'm not holding my breath.
I know a lot of people are taking this seriously. Hell, my roommate thought it was funny. So I flipped him off.
I find this all very disturbing, to say the least. Universities are supposed to be these great, grand places that support the open exchange of ideas to its fullest potential, even that speech which others don't like.
Stealing The Orion is a gigantic slap in the face to that. Whether you like the contents of The Orion or not, this is a serious deal and should be looked at with worry by everybody connected to Chico State.
Robert said this @ 9:02:00 PM
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