2008 Woodie Awards
Freedom of speech?
Muhlenberg Weekly Executive Board
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Op/Ed
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects our right to freedom of expression. This includes rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and to petition the government. As journalists who frame each story that gets printed in the College's newspaper each week, we are happy that administrators and other members of the College community recognize this amendment and allow us to decide what to cover, what to write and where we stand on issues around campus without intervening. We like to think that what we publish is as unbiased as possible, regardless of the image members of the College community want us to portray.
Unfortunately, mass media in America has not utilized its First Amendment freedoms to their fullest. Media moguls allow the Bush administration to form the opinions given through their stories, which can be seen through the scandal of Abu Ghraib. While all of the evidence behind the story of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq pointed toward widespread torture policy, many different mainstream media outlets, such as The Washington Post and CBS Evening News, framed the story of Abu Ghraib as isolated abuse; this was the result that the Bush administration wanted portrayed to the American public.
While mainstream media outlets have allowed the Bush administration to interfere with their First Amendment rights, we like to feel that we not only work independently from the College administration, but that we use this publication to critique the administration in what they are and are not doing. Three issues ago we wrote about the state of The Weekly office. Since then, we have received word that Plant Operations and the Dean of Students Office has taken the necessary steps to assure that this issue will be taken care of. While our office is still hot and unventilated, we know that our days in the heat are limited and that the College does take our written words seriously. We appreciate the quick actions taken to alleviate the situation and value the fact that the College allows us to excercise our First Amendment right and acts on what we express.
Unfortunately, mass media in America has not utilized its First Amendment freedoms to their fullest. Media moguls allow the Bush administration to form the opinions given through their stories, which can be seen through the scandal of Abu Ghraib. While all of the evidence behind the story of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq pointed toward widespread torture policy, many different mainstream media outlets, such as The Washington Post and CBS Evening News, framed the story of Abu Ghraib as isolated abuse; this was the result that the Bush administration wanted portrayed to the American public.
While mainstream media outlets have allowed the Bush administration to interfere with their First Amendment rights, we like to feel that we not only work independently from the College administration, but that we use this publication to critique the administration in what they are and are not doing. Three issues ago we wrote about the state of The Weekly office. Since then, we have received word that Plant Operations and the Dean of Students Office has taken the necessary steps to assure that this issue will be taken care of. While our office is still hot and unventilated, we know that our days in the heat are limited and that the College does take our written words seriously. We appreciate the quick actions taken to alleviate the situation and value the fact that the College allows us to excercise our First Amendment right and acts on what we express.