EDITORIAL: Censorship

The Student Activities Council'sThe Student Activities Council'sdecision to deny the Red and BlueThe Student Activities Council'sdecision to deny the Red and Bluefunding because it disapproves ofThe Student Activities Council'sdecision to deny the Red and Bluefunding because it disapproves ofarticles in the magazine is a formThe Student Activities Council'sdecision to deny the Red and Bluefunding because it disapproves ofarticles in the magazine is a formof censorship and cannot be tolerated.The Student Activities Council'sdecision to deny the Red and Bluefunding because it disapproves ofarticles in the magazine is a formof censorship and cannot be tolerated._____________________________________ But in its failure to fund the Red and Blue based on the content of the magazine, SAC has overstepped its bounds. SAC's justification for not funding the conservative magazine reveals blatant censorship that cannot be tolerated by an intellectual community truly in pursuit of the communication of ideas -- no matter the source. This council has control over funding on which many campus groups depend. With this financial power also comes great responsibility. And in this case, SAC members' poor judgment calls into question their ability to allocate funds without bias. SAC has a policy not to fund politically oriented groups. However, SAC ironically chose to fund Generation XX, a magazine with a liberal political stance, while denying the Red and Blue. The concern is clear: SAC tried to stymie one set of beliefs, while fostering another that is more compatible with the values of its members. This type of action not only infringes upon the right of the Red and Blue, but worse, it robs the University community of a true free flow of ideas and opinions. We urge SAC to take this issue seriously, for censorship cannot be tolerated. We encourage the Red and Blue to continue to seek funding from SAC. But even if these efforts prove fruitless, we hope the magazine's staff will continue to publish their ideas. If SAC is left with the power to determine the guidelines of campus speech, the University as a whole will lose its integrity.