“Taser This: F**k Bush.”
That was the entire article written by David McSwane that was published in the Colorado State University student newspaper. Yep. That’s all. Title, body, and content. The editorial ran in the September 21 edition of the Rocky Mountain Collegian, and has since been the subject of huge controversy both at the university and of course as a national example of the limits of the First Amendment.
McSwane now stands to lose his job as editor-in-chief of the paper. On Wednesday night (September 26), over 300 students filled the classroom where McSwane was being questioned by the Board of Student Communications (a panel made up of six students and three faculty), not to be outdone by the 200 more outside the building—some held signs with “Fire McSwane,” some wearing “F**k Bush” t-shirts with their mouths covered in duct tape.
McSwane himself does not seem to get what the big deal is. He cited college culture as an excuse, stating that “I think a lot of people forget that we are a college paper…we hear the “f” word all the time” (cnn.com/2007/US/09/27/cnnu.editor/index.html ).
But part of the deal seems to be the purely practical consequences of his article. Already, the Collegian has had over 18 advertisers pull out funds, causes CSU’s student media program to lose upwards of $50,000. The University as a whole is worried about losing alumni support.
So the campus is divided. And of course the defense is the First Amendment. Which I think makes sense. Technically, McSwane had the right to publish his editorial—even if he did not clear it with the other editors or the faculty advisor before the newspaper had hit the stands. But should he have?
To me it just seems like poor taste and an abuse of the First Amendment and of his power as representative of the student body. Sure, it was a nice, concise message…but I think we can all agree that substance was a casualty of shock value. That seems like a good reason for firing him: He just did not do a very good job at his job.
But still, I am not sure if firing him is the right move. McSwane said he wrote the message to ignite debate on the campus, so clearly he was successful in his venture, perhaps just not in his methods.
Another problem seems to be that McSwane is using its presence as a college newspaper as grounds for defending his use of the f-bomb. Just because students may swear more, does not mean it has a place in public debate or publication. Imagine if he were to show up to class and start throwing profanities around—not only would it show disrespect for the professor, but almost more importantly, the argument would get lost in the clutter of curse words. There is a time and a place and I do not think that youth is an excuse for a lack of boundaries.
The Board of Student Communications is meeting today (Thursday) to decide McSwane’s fate. Taser This: F**k Bush seems a harmful abuse of the First Amendment, but one lawfully protected nonetheless.
I am torn and I think it will be interesting to see what they decide and what the repercussions are either way.
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