DT controversy? Options

[pebkac]

http://media.www.dailytoreador.com/media/s...gepublisher.com

The Student Government Association has recently written and moved to a second reading, a resolution to change the current format of the death toll displayed on the front page of The Daily Toreador. The SGA wrote this resolution because they believe the death toll, in its current format is disrespectful, disgraceful, "egregious" and displays a "disregard for the human life lost." We, the editorial board, believe it is our journalistic responsibility to objectively present the number of military deaths in Iraq since fighting began. We believe the best way to do this is not by writing a story, or putting an American flag or yellow ribbon next to the counter, but by simply stating the fact that 2,694 members of the military have died since fighting began in Iraq.

The SGA does have the power to express its own opinion on the matter, and it does have the power to write a resolution. They do not have the power to alter how we, the editorial board, choose to display the death toll. It does not have the power to influence in any way what is printed in The Daily Toreador.

The Daily Toreador is an independent student newspaper. It is not restricted by the president of the university or any other member of the administration. We embrace the rights granted to us by the First Amendment and condemn any attempt at censorship.

If we were to take the resolution of the SGA seriously, and change the way the death toll is displayed, it would become a biased figure and would no longer be an objective representation of lives lost. Flags and ribbons are patriotic symbols and it is not our job as journalists to be patriotic. We must remain objective. The newspapers of North Korea are probably extremely patriotic. But we here in America are not lucky enough to have a "benevolent dictator" either. In America, we are lucky enough to have a democracy that grants us freedom of the press.

Even if the resolution goes to vote and passes, we will remain firm in our belief that it is our job as journalists to inform the students, faculty and staff of Texas Tech about the truths in Iraq.

The death toll is not meant to be disrespectful, but educational.

Ok, I simply don't get it. It doesn't seem as though anyone has a problem with them presenting the death toll itself, but how it's displayed. What's wrong with the way it's displayed?