The Illini's Stalinist View

For those that seemed to have missed this story, let me refresh some memories here.

Two editors at the University of Illinois student-run newspaper were suspended Tuesday for their decision to run a series of cartoons that have sparked outrage and violence around the Islamic world. Editor-in-chief Acton H. Gorton said the Daily Illini's publisher suspended him and the newspaper's opinions sections editor, Charles Prochaska, for two weeks pending the outcome of an internal investigation. "I'm very disappointed. I think this is nothing more than a cover-up," Gorton said.

Daily Illini managing editor Shira Weissman would not comment on the situation Tuesday. A telephone message left with the newspaper's publisher, Mary Cory, was not immediately returned. The paper's editorial staff told readers in Monday's editions that the decision to run the cartoons was made by Gorton and Prochaska without their knowledge.

While the staff apologized to the Muslim community, it stopped short of saying it disagreed with the decision. "We want to make it clear that while we do not necessarily disagree with the decision to print these cartoons, we disagree with how they were run," the editorial reads.

According to the editorial, Gorton and Prochaska ran the cartoons without consulting the staff or the publisher and "behind the backs of those who are being significantly affected by its fallout.

"Gorton and Prochaska ran their own editorial Monday, defending their decision to reprint the cartoons, and even called "irresponsible" the decision by major newspapers around the country not to publish the cartoons. Gorton said on Tuesday that other editors were in the same room when the cartoons were laid out on the newspaper's pages and did not object. He also said he continues to stand by the decision to publish the cartoons.

That is the recap. Two student editors were suspended for running the Mohammed cartoons that has the Muslim street in a tizzy. For about three weeks now, Muslims have had their underwear in a knot over cartoons that they state were "extremely offensive" to their religion. We agree , to a point. Offensive they may be, but it does not warrant nor condone their actions. We have close to fifty peole dead in these riots, and a few embassies burned to the ground. The Daily Illini editors wanted to show everyone what started this chaos in the world, and the University of Illinois has decided to send in the jackboots, shut down the editors, and Mr. Gorton will literally facea show trial; afterwords, he will be fired from the staff.

The initial follow-up is right here at Generalissimo Duane's site. Hugh had an interview with Mr. Gorton over this. Hugh was to the point in getting the facts from Mr. Gorton, and that keen legal mind of his assured Mr. Gorton that he should get his job back. He does believe that the man has been unfairly treated, given all the steps he went through to back himself up.

Today, however, we learn the ante has been upped. Daily Illini publisher Mary Cory put sent out a letter slandering Gorton.

Gorton "demonstrated a lack of respect for his colleagues and a total disregard for the need to collaborate or communicate honestly in the newsroom," Cory wrote in her letter. "His focus ... is for the media attention he is receiving personally for his courageous move ... to run the cartoons in his paper, not for the need to publish an excellent newspaper worthy of its reputation."

In Hugh's interview, Mr. Gorton notes that he has been contacted by: The New York times, The Washington Post, and AP Wire Services. No one other than these three, and he has granted a couple of interviews to smaller news outlets. I hardly consider this the "media attention" we are used to. And the lasck of respect she sees, we do not. As editor-in-chief of the paper, he can make arbitrary decisions on his own. However, based on the interview with Hugh, that is not true; that is, he did not make the decision on his own, per se.

HH: Okay. Now I want to go back again to the reason behind upset. And it's not because you offended Muslims. It's because your staff is afraid that they will suffer reprisal violence as a result?

AG: Well, that's what they're saying. They're saying that I didn't take everybody into consideration. But I mean, that's just one argument. I think the other thing is they felt like they were kept out of the loop on this whole thing, but my editorial board fully knew what was happening in the newsroom that night. Everybody had an opportunity to look at it, everybody had an opportunity to object to me doing it, or raising red flags, or telling me their concerns. And nobody did that.

HH: Did anyone send you a memo?

AG: No. No, nothing.

HH: Did the publisher get called before the cartoons ran?

AG: No. I didn't tell the publisher the night before. I mean, there had been some discussion as to how I should notify her when I'm going to do something that might impact the newspaper, and she simply said as a courtesy, e-mail me the next day and just let me know what's going on. And I did that.

So, someone in this tale is lying. But Soxblog, who picked this up today to run with it (Hat-Tip to Dean for this), has pointed out that Mary Cory's crusade against free speech is not over. Yes, she fired a salvo today that will literally be the shot heard 'round the blogosphere.

In short, fellow readers, the Daily Illini has declared war on the bloggers.

Everyone agrees that work shouldn't be the focus of one's blog. You like recipes, you like talking about your family, or the newest gadgets? Go right on ahead. However companies tend to dislike their employees talking about their practices, guidelines and habits. Most companies do not wish to see such things published in such an open forum.

News outlets demand a level of transparency, and this move by Illini Media is stupid, foolish, and downright idiotic to slam bloggers. Not only do we not react well to being shut down (AOL can vouch for that when it started playing around with blogger's journals, and forced many into alternative sources for blogging, and leaving AOL behind completely; we know because we were a pair of them that was forced into doing this.) Nor do we react well to threats, veiled or otherwise. Illini Media is getting beat to hell over this issue. Mary Cory has shown how blatantly obtuse she really is in jumping the shark. Furthermore, what else can be said of a person who hands decrees from up on high, then refuses to address any concerns from the people?

At the beginning of this piece, I called it "Stalinist." Is there anyway we mix a tad bit of Marie Antionette into that view, too?

Bunny ;)