Austinist: Close to Home: University of the Censored Word Incarnate

Kenneth

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 16:32:48 -0600

Irony alert: Yes, the students can just read the entire news content of each day's Times at nytimes.com. Problem is, the paper's op/ed columnists are behind a firewall and only available to "TimesSelect" subscribers. So all Mr. Morgan's "protest" has succeeded in doing is prevent UIW students from reading the pro-administration, neocon blatherings of William Safire and David Brooks. Good job!

Jaxebad

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:20:07 -0600

Humbug, The problem is that his decision goes against everything librarians stand for. People should have access to all viewpoints, not just those that are politically fashionable at the time. Also, this librarian is abusing his position by using it to enforce his own political viewpoints, which NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH. Jaxebast

odam

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:04:53 -0600

come on, where's "Gladiator?" Already out buying his Flagy and Ribbony Beany Babies and fireworks? I imagine after the line for Lee Greenwood tickets dies down a bit he will be showing up. Or maybe he is out buying up all the old WSJs, so nobody realizes the story ran there, as well. Wait for it...

Derek

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:57:30 -0600

So, this "so-called protest" (what does that even mean?) is an "attempt to supress [sic] the students' freedom to choose their own reading material and news sources." Does that even make sense to the person who wrote it? One presumes they have the Internet at that school. I'm guessing most of those students can Google the New York Times if they want to read it. Trotting out some weak censorship claims simply muddies the point of your article, which, on second thought, I'm having trouble discerning.

Bah Humbug

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:56:31 -0600

What is the problem here? If the head librarian at a private intitution wants to cancel a subscription to a newspaper, so be it. Personally, I think that the NY Times ought to have its White House press credentials revoked. The Times delights in tormenting Pres. Bush and will stop at nothing to do so.