October 30, 2007
Kaimin harming students' interests
I applaud the efforts of the Montana Kaimin to keep ASUM and the administration as open in discussion as possible. However, the relationship of the Montana Kaimin to the student body at the University of Montana is unique. The Kaimin collects an involuntary fee from all students for its publication. Where an article threatens the interests of the students themselves, I believe the Montana Kaimin has a special obligation, because of the fee it collects, to protect that interest.
President Leftridge and myself, who both had conversations with Mr. Breslin concerning the future of UM Productions, never threatened or forced the editor not to publish an article. We recognize the First Amendments Rights of a newspaper editor. We did hope, however, that he would understand the gravity of the situation and make his own decision, with regard to the interests of the students. If UM Productions is seen as incompetent, the speculatory nature of the Kaimin created that perception. Mr. Breslin has pushed simple ideals onto a complicated world, and he owes an apology to the students for what his fanaticism has cost them.
Furthermore, the Montana Kaimin exists as the only fee-supported print source for news on campus. Because of this institutional monopoly, what they decide to print or say in their press has undue influence on the campus as a whole. It is the expectation of the student body, who pays their fee, that this privilege will be taken with responsibility and due diligence. Ms. Emma Schmautz has not taken the time to attend a single ASUM meeting but nevertheless publishes an editorial denouncing the content and manner of those meetings.
The Kaimin has repeatedly made implicit threats to obtain information from individuals, against the interests of classified staff and the student body at large. Mr. Breslin and his staff feel that they can, through surreptitious venues, dictate what happens on campus. Yet if the outcome for UM Productions is positive, it will be because of the incredible work done by ASUM executives and the administration in overcoming the disservice of the Montana Kaimin.
It warrants serious courage to criticize the Kaimin, and will come at a high price. Yet, it is what must be said, that this print under current leadership has jeopardized the interests of the students and the future of UM Productions. Students deserve to know what has taken place and what will take place over the next few weeks. If my position came with an office like Mr. Breslin’s, my door would be open to the public. Instead, I encourage anyone to leave a note in my mailbox in the Senate Office. Unfortunately, the Kaimin has only proved itself a disseminator of misinformation and masturbatory, uninformed opinion. I suggest you go to the source to find the truth; it will not be printed in the pages of this paper.
In the world of free press, prior restraint laws exist to protect the interests of those governed and not the interests of those governing. The Montana Kaimin has done irreparable damage not to ASUM or to the University administration, but mostly to you, the students, who before today had charge of an effective, celebrated productions house. I have considered Mr. Breslin a friend, regardless of what his print has said about ASUM or me. But today, we are all deeply wronged by over-zealous reporting. There is one notable difference between ASUM and the Montana Kaimin. We are elected by choice, while this newsprint is involuntarily extracted from the students.
Sean Morrison,
ASUM Senator
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Comments
Awesome, Sean. How about you go back to that place where ASUM Senators have been—and always will be—irrelevant. “Prior restraint”? “Involuntarily extracted”? Perhaps Morrison should reexamine who is writing the “masturbatory, uninformed opinion.”
Unreal.
Posted by Go Griz on 11/14/2007 at 2:20 am
