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?

[kcroxyoursox]

i personally dont think it needs to be displayed period. unfortunately it is not objective, because the sole purpose is to evoke the emotion "damn so many lives lost, lets end the war and stop the death of innocent people" and even though they dont say that thought in so many words, i think the implication is there.

also, i cant figure out why people on the other side of the issue who want the war to continue would want to display the number of people killed. wouldnt they say its not the number of lives that are taken, but the point of the war that we should focus on?

i just cant see a logical argument from both sides of the issue as to why it should be kept on the front page. that right there leads me to believe that it is not "objective" by the mere definition of the word.

if the paper were really objective, it would be just as willing to take it down as they were to put it up.

[dauss]

its news. if you guys support the war, like many of you do, you should know whats going on.

[pysex]

i think the SGA has a point


it's wrong to use and display that death toll for a political point or gain....


AND WE ALL KNOW THE DT IS RUN BY A BUNCH OF COCKSMOKES

[impala454]

displaying a number of dead people isn't news. like others said it's just a political statement from the losers that make the paper.

[GOB]

its news.  if you guys support the war, like many of you do, you should know whats going on.

big surprise that you support it.


it's no more "news" than the date or time. news would be featuring the names of all the soldiers killed or stories about what's actually happening overseas; they might as well just copy more stories from the AP.

the death counter is a fucking disgrace to this university and the UD creams its pants every time somebody writes them about it. the only reason they're doing it is because they think they're the "voice" of the leftist minority at tech, which looks really, really bad for anyone with liberal viewpoints. and people wonder why their "kerry 04" bumper stickers were being torn off.

[Psykopath]

big surprise that you support it.


it's no more "news" than the date or time. news would be featuring the names of all the soldiers killed or stories about what's actually happening overseas; they might as well just copy more stories from the AP.

the death counter is a fucking disgrace to this university and the UD creams its pants every time somebody writes them about it. the only reason they're doing it is because they think they're the "voice" of the leftist minority at tech, which looks really, really bad for anyone with liberal viewpoints. and people wonder why their "kerry 04" bumper stickers were being torn off.

ah, you edited the "06"!


Ah well, take it out and lose a bit more freedom of the press...leave it in as a douchebag "statement."

It's a lose-lose situation.

[Seeker]

so the SGA wants to do away with freedom of the press? is this the student government association from the university of china?

[GOB]

ah, you edited the "06"!


Ah well, take it out and lose a bit more freedom of the press...leave it in as a douchebag "statement."

It's a lose-lose situation.

there's no freedom lost. they're just provoking the bear until it attacks, and then they'll freak out and write stories about it for 6 months.

they have no explanation for why it's really in there, other than the fact that it's their "right". they could put a picture of jfk's head exploding on the front page for 4 years because it's "news" and we should know about it.

[jwttu]

the sga has no real authority over the paper, all they can do is pass a resolution advising them to take it down.

i think this is one big publicity stunt to get people to read the Daily Toiletpaper again. It has really become a useless paper. 90% of it is now ap wire and ads and in the 10% written by tech students there is maybe 1 good story.

[Psykopath]

It has really become a useless paper. 90% of it is now ap wire and ads and in the 10% written by tech students there is maybe 1 good story.

QFT

[FORSAKENR320]

We wore the pirate hats at work today
http://www.cs.ttu.edu/~morton/Pirate/P1.JPG

This post has been edited by Spectatrix: Sep 23 2006, 09:35 AM

[The Fanatic]

Again, this is total bullshit. The powers that be have grown ever so much smarter after the vietnam war. They know that the power which controls the media controls the american opinion. Without images of carnage and body bags, the american people will not rise up in protest and disgust, as was the case in vietnam with most of the population. Since then, the government has used such things as "embeding" and manipulation/lies to control the media and the american people. Fuck the SGA... they think they are working in the interest of students.... this is educational information that is IMPORTANT. just like it is important that 6 million jews died in the holocaust not 100,000. Censorship in any form goes against the very nature of the constitution. This is America not communism.

[Spectatrix]

We wore the pirate hats at work today

1) What does that have to do with this thread?
2) LINK pictures that are that big, mkay? Don't be another Dogmeat in that regard.
3) Talk Like a Pirate Day was Tuesday, you 'tard.

[jwttu]

1) What does that have to do with this thread?
2) LINK pictures that are that big, mkay? Don't be another Dogmeat in that regard.
3) Talk Like a Pirate Day was Tuesday, you 'tard.

the pirate hats were a section of the paper, i guess since they didnt have any news to report