Flipside needs to show responsiblity
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Letters
The Flipside's argument for printing the article "Sexual Depravity" as I understand it is this: Because an individual can write about rape anyway they want, we can print that opinion. Because someone has written about rape, we'll print it. If anyone has an objection, they're free to respond in our publication like civilized human beings, as long as they're willing to make themselves accountable for their response by stating their name.
It's my understanding that sexual assault leaves lasting trauma, and that while this trauma affects everyone differently, there's a significant number of victims of sexual assault who are afraid to speak out about their experience out of fear, shame or any number of emotions that causes them to waive their right to free speech and say nothing. I'm not sure how many people like this read The Flipside; I can only assume there exists a possibility such readers exist.
With this in mind, The Flipside had an ethical responsibility to consider that there was a population of readers who would be offended by the printing of this article and the increased exposure the article would subsequently receive, but who wouldn't speak out against it, even though legally they could. The Flipside failed to exercise this responsibility. The Flipside's argument, then, is this - The Flipside has no obligation to those readers, who by association to this campus and community fund The Flipside. If those readers feel offended by an article, they can legally respond to it. If those readers can legally respond but for some reason they don't then it's their own fault for feeling that they can't when they can. Because they are a voiceless population, the opinions of those readers don't concern us. Those readers live in a society that allows them the legal opportunity to make themselves heard, and if they don't then it's not our fault for making the decision, unwittingly or not, to place them in a situation that exploits their refusal to take advantage of free speech.
In short, they deserve this.
Andy Eklof
Former Distribution and Advertising Manager
The Flipside Press
It's my understanding that sexual assault leaves lasting trauma, and that while this trauma affects everyone differently, there's a significant number of victims of sexual assault who are afraid to speak out about their experience out of fear, shame or any number of emotions that causes them to waive their right to free speech and say nothing. I'm not sure how many people like this read The Flipside; I can only assume there exists a possibility such readers exist.
With this in mind, The Flipside had an ethical responsibility to consider that there was a population of readers who would be offended by the printing of this article and the increased exposure the article would subsequently receive, but who wouldn't speak out against it, even though legally they could. The Flipside failed to exercise this responsibility. The Flipside's argument, then, is this - The Flipside has no obligation to those readers, who by association to this campus and community fund The Flipside. If those readers feel offended by an article, they can legally respond to it. If those readers can legally respond but for some reason they don't then it's their own fault for feeling that they can't when they can. Because they are a voiceless population, the opinions of those readers don't concern us. Those readers live in a society that allows them the legal opportunity to make themselves heard, and if they don't then it's not our fault for making the decision, unwittingly or not, to place them in a situation that exploits their refusal to take advantage of free speech.
In short, they deserve this.
Andy Eklof
Former Distribution and Advertising Manager
The Flipside Press
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
trista
posted 5/01/08 @ 1:18 AM CST
If the Flipside is a community and campus funded paper, why would they even want to put the insanity of that article out for its readers? Show some class, some character and consideration for the audience that you are being paid by. (Continued…)
trista jenson
posted 5/01/08 @ 1:45 AM CST
If the Flipside is a community and campus funded paper, why would they even want to put the insanity of that article out for its readers? Show some class, some character and consideration for the audience that you are being paid by. (Continued…)
Alice
posted 5/02/08 @ 9:15 PM CST
The facts are that the flipside has the right to print anything they want to print. Yes, they are funded by the students, but you don't have to pay... (Continued…)
Amanda Conley
posted 5/05/08 @ 9:17 PM CST
I don't understand how they "have the right to print anything they want." If this guy had written that black people are ugly and anyone who disagrees with that should be hanged, would you agree that it's ok to print that? The fact is that this country does give everyone the right to freedom of speech, but there are limitations to that right. (Continued…)
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