University of Virginia Library

Sincerity

The March 5 edition of The
Cavalier Daily provides an especially
ludicrous example of the
subtle and not-so-subtle ways in
which the self-perpetuating elite
which runs the tax-supported student
newspaper is attempting to
mold student opinion in its own
rigid ideological patterns. I am
referring to the front-page "news"
story in which we find the following
"report.":

"The two featured speakers
drove home the message of the
coalition. Mr. England, a University
professor of mathematics, stirred
the crown with a lively speech
concerning the faculty's part in the
demonstrations. His speech was
interrupted with sincere applause
many times."

Come now, Mr. Editor. It is
pretty obvious why you seem to
have felt no necessity for an
editorial on the editorial page in the
March 5 issue: the editorializing is
done in the front-page "news"
stories. "Sincere" applause? The
article is accompanied by a picture
whose byline refers to the "Successful
Rally."

"Successful?" By the standards
of The Cavalier Daily staff, maybe?

Successful in accomplishing the
goals of the Coalition, perhaps?

Successful in its tolerance of Mr.
Taylor's admirable use of public
property and tax-funded sound
equipment to shout profanity (duly
printed by the courageous and
progressive Cavalier Daily)? Isn't it
a bit presumptuous for a news
writer to judge the success of an
event?

Mr. Taylor, incidentally, spoke
before Mr. England and Mr. Evans,
not after, as the news writer (was
he there?) reported.

There are many ways in which
an editor can editorialize: through
his column (specifying "right-thinking"
policies), through news stories,
through headlines, by devoting
more or less space to certain
"news" issues, by using headline
"news" stories to announce rallies,
by refusing to publish or delaying
publication of letters disagreeing
with him, by heaping sycophantic
praise upon self-designated "student
leaders" (of which the editor
no doubt considers himself one of
the foremost), etc., ad infinitum.
The present editor does not hesitate
to use any of these methods. Nor
will his hand-picked successor, if
past experience is any guide to his
propensity to "manage" news.

We remind the student body
that the Board of Directors of The
Cavalier Daily, composed of the
vice-presidents of all the schools,
has power "to reject or confirm the
selection of the Editor, Managing
Editor, and Business Manager who
shall be recommended by the whole
staff of The Cavalier Daily, with
power to remove any or all of those
three officers of The Cavalier Daily
for cause;" the Board also has
power "to review and to approve or
disapprove, and when desirable, to
modify the over-all editorial and
news reporting policies."

Is it time for those of us devoted
to freedom of expression of ALL.
opinions to exercise our prerogatives
through our elected representatives?