Taser This? What Bush? A CSU Opinion

David McSwane, the editor-in-chief of The Rocky Mountain Collegian printed an opinion piece for the paper entitled, “Taser this: F**k Bush,” which recently (9/21) caused quite a stir in what McSwane claimed as his “decision (at) exercising his right to free speech.”

The College Republicans at Colorado State are working on a petition to have the editor-in-chief resign; they have also been suggesting to businesses that advertise in the college paper to withdraw their ads. To date businesses have taken back $30k in advertising, which in turn has resulted in student employee wages to be cut by 10%.

Not surprisingly Alesia Gifford, vice president of the Young Democrats, supports McSwane’s free speech rights:

"In this society we are taking a step backwards, especially with the free speech debate. President Bush has lost our respect as a country. "At some point we have to stand up for our rights. [McSwane] was just showing that speech, even when explicit, should always be protected by the First Amendment."

The odd thing about The College Republicans efforts at clamping down on the editor-in-chiefs “free speech,” is that the opinion piece didn’t touch on the second half of its headline; according to senior Evan Isoline:

'Taser this. Taser what?' The issue isn't even about President Bush. If you're going to stand up for something like that you have to have something to back it up. You have to believe in something."

Shades of a disconnect appear to run in university circles of late; Columbia and now this…

Doesn't subject enter in to any of this?

DeMediacratic Nation Blogrolls

Please give this Post/Blog a Vote -