"Theft" of Free Newspapers (was Re: Student Protests Against Horowitz Ad)

Gordon Fitch gcf at panix.com
Wed Mar 28 17:15:33 PST 2001


Yoshie Furuhashi:
> ...
> Brown students of color correctly acted in protest against the Brown
> _Daily Herald_ -- a student paper that should be accountable to
> students -- which sold its soul *and readers* to Horowitz the
> advertiser for the sake of racist dollars. And they did so without
> breaking any law (unless Providence and/or Rhode Island has a law
> against destroying "free" newspapers -- see my postscript below). :-)
> ...

I don't see how it enters the realm of correctness if by correct we mean leading to something we desire. It is true the newspapers, and liberal freedom of speech in general, are not actually free but beholden to Capital. However, destroying the papers did not alter or even illustrate this fact -- it was easily read as mere group animosity (as if the students were a fraternity or athletic team which had been insulted.) The action was blurred and vague -- as, in general, the entire reparations discourse has been. I think it has been broadened when it should have been sharpened.

On the other hand, by drawing attention to Horowitz's clowning, it did advertise the reparations issue. So it wasn't entirely bad.



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