It's a shame that Ross Boomer, the Forum's Editor-in-Chief, feels the need to attack me rather than answer my innocuous question. That's too bad as the Forum tries to bill itself as a serious publication, open to dialogue. I guess that he would rather come after me personally than engage in the issues I raised by pointing out that the Port Side's receiving of public funds makes us all liable if they are sued.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Forum Editor Attacks Me, Rather Than Answers My Question
7 comments:
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Even though I stay away from politics, I always thought it would be fun to get on this blog! ;)
ross -
October 2, 2008 9:58 PM
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this article is rife with grammar mistakes. aren't you guys trying to kick the immigrants out because they can't speak our language? get with the program, homie...
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October 3, 2008 9:31 AM
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The fact that the Portside is dependent on CMC money means there will always be an editorial leash on it, real or implied. The same can be said of Pomona's Student Life (which is dependent on Pomona administrative support) and of every other 5C student publication with the single exception of the Claremont Independent.
You make an ingenious argument, but your concern about student liability is misplaced. You should be worried instead about ongoing self-censorship and about the news the 5C administration doesn't see "fit to print." That's the ultimate upshot of Jaffa's threatened lawsuit. What's the cost of that? -
October 3, 2008 10:17 AM
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)
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October 3, 2008 10:28 AM
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Here's a question: what does lawsuit culpability have to do with funding?
Is the implication here that ANY organization which could be at the butt of a lawsuit shouldn't be receiving these funds? -
October 3, 2008 5:52 PM
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Ross,
Welcome to this message board. I should hope you're now inclined to answer my question.
Ydarb,
I fear no immigrants and would never "kick" them out for not speaking a language. But I would encourage for their own sakes that they learn it.
Mitch,
You are quite right that when you take public funds you become nothing more than the dog that eats scraps at the master's table. You are right to make this argument and I wholeheartedly agree.
Anonymous,
I am not a troll at all. Mr. Siegel asked if anything seemed strange, I replied that it did.
Citizen X,
A newspaper ought to be free and independent to publish the truth. As public funding restricts freedom, it ought to be abolished. -
October 3, 2008 6:47 PM
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Hold on just a tick Charles.
I'm not sure your logic holds. While I agree that restrictions are bad for a paper, they aren't neccessarily tied to public funding.
In fact, I would say a need to sell papers and/or attract advertisers would have a way worse effect on the quality of the reporting than administrative funds. -
October 4, 2008 7:12 PM
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September 29th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Why does ASCMC give any funding to the Portside when doing so opens them up to liability and is of little benefit to the student body?
September 29th, 2008 at 10:33 am
There’s zero liability there. Quit bitching.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:12 am
Maybe the Editor-in-Chief of this highly esteemed doesn’t know the history of the lawsuit that almost occurred in which the Claremont Institute threatened to sue The Claremont Portside through the ASCMC which funds them. Here is your link. http://www.cstudent.org/issues/2004/april/news/portside/
Here are your paragraphs from the Claremont Student.
“The Claremont Institute, rather than Harry Jaffa himself, will bring charges against CMC’s student government (ASCMC) if they decide that legal action must be taken. According to Institute Research Assistant Grant Winthrop, the Claremont Institute feels that the article has damaged their credibility because they were labeled as an Institute guilty of hate crimes against homosexuals (www.hatecrime.org lists CI as an organization which delivers hate speech). Winthrop adds that when an author prints an anonymous quotation, the author becomes responsible for what is said. Jaffa denies that he ever said that homosexuals should be shot, and the Claremont Institute believes that thePort Side did not investigate the validity of the accusation prior to printing it. Since the Claremont Port Side is funded by ASCMC, ASCMC is legally accountable for the content of the newspaper and therefore a lawsuit would be brought against the ASCMC rather than the Port Side itself.
Professor Jaffa says that he is not interested in the money that would be gained by legal action, but asks: “If they refuse to retract slander, what other recourse do I have?” Winthrop says that he “sincerely hopes to avoid legal action because then lawyers and courts win, not people.” He adds that legal action would not achieve much and is optimistic that ASCMC will agree with the Claremont Institute after an investigation and that the statement will be retracted without a legal battle. ”
I think an apology is in order for “bitching.” Do your homework next time.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Wow, CJ, I’m so incredibly impressed by your astute knowledge of ASCMC’s legal history. That skill will take you far in life, I’m sure, just like your daily arrogant rants attacking students and others who, for better or for worse, are convinced that they are making a difference in the world. When I complain I about your “bitching,” it’s mainly because I’m hoping that this site attracts more dynamic, thoughtful dialogue on issues specific to CMC. Of course there is room for improvement, but no apologies are necessary.
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I see the Editor-in-Chief of this publication is more content to sling ad hominem attacks than to delve into the history of the Port Side and how we might all be jeopardized by their public funding, which I have shown. Mr. Boomer insists that we “have zero liability,” but he is, wrong, of course.
An apology would be nice, as I do contribute, in part, to his much compensated salary, but I don’t think I’d get it, content though the Editor is to sing the praises of students who make a “difference in the world.”
When someone asks a question, they are called “bitching.” So much for “dynamic, thoughtful dialogue”!
Now would you care to answer my question? Or not? Why does ASCMC fund the Claremont Port Side? Why can’t it raise money on its own like the CI and (to a lesser extent) the Forum?