Critic Page 5
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Peter Nute News Editor A certain letter to the edi tor from a giant purple people eater spliced with a fairy in last week’s edition of the Critic caused a minor uproar in pro duction, generated a rift be tween coworkers and divided readers. Never before at least in my estimation has two seem ingly harmless sentences caused such a heated debate of what is and what isn’t proper to publish. The editor of the Critic, Eric Blaisdell, has recently made it a goal of his to never even consider censoring what his writers choose to write, what his readers choose to read, or what those inclined to write a letter to the editor choose to send in. These newfound revelations, as well as a strong penchant to wear red and the sudden ap pearance of a photograph of Kim Jong Il that made it on to the wall of the Critic office have caused some to wonder: is it possible that the editor of the Critic is a communist? Unlike what the United States generally considers com munism, Blaisdell believes in not putting a filter on what the people say. In June of 1928 James P. Cannon former national secre tary of the Communist League of America wrote a letter to the political committee who was postponing the publication of his own paper, the Daily Worker due to the content of the stories, the small amount of “experienced” writers, and the supposed lack of direction and support. “Our paper… should not be confined to the groove of any established ‘newspaper’ standard. We should not fear to blaze a new trail in form as well as in substance and to make a pattern of our own. We must have more features in the paper, especially light and interesting features, as a balance to the heavier material.” Though Blaisdell was not familiar with Cannon, his news paper, or the excerpt above from “James P. Cannon and the Early Years of American Com munism,” his beliefs in what the Critic is, what it should be, and the direction the paper is going in are strong echoing to a cer tain extent Cannon’s senti ments. “The paper the Critic is for the people. It is the voice of the people. It is made by the people,” Blaisdell said. “Every body has the chance to say what they want to say. Everyone who has an opinion is welcome to that opinion. I’m not going to put my own bias, my own views into what gets published be cause this is a student paper for the students.” The changes the Critic will be going through will be “subtle at first,” according to Blaisdell. “It will gain momentum. A story here and there. Get people thinking about what’s best for the people, not so much what’s best for the individual.” Understanding that Blais dell’s views are not directly as sociated with communism, this still has not explained the pho tograph of Kim Jong Il on the wall. “Well,” Blaisdell said while glancing at the photo. “He seems to be doing pretty well.” Blaisdell believes that “Kim Jong Il has nothing but North Korea’s best interests at heart. He’s a role model to try to base your life around if you want to be successful and spread your word efficiently and effectively.” Blaisdell added that “there shouldn’t be dictators or tyrants. No leaders; no anarchy. For the people.” When asked if he was con cerned that people may believe that he is communist by taking on these views and suddenly hanging photos of Kim Jong Il on the walls of the Critic office, he answered “I don’t see the downfall.” So is it really possible that a red shirt wearing, Kim Jong Il worshipping editor of a college newspaper is in fact a commu nist? Perhaps. Or maybe the Critic will just publish anything. OPINION Dec. 9, 2011 The Critic, Page 4 Editor of The Critic: Communist? Photo by Sierra Willenberg Blaisdell looks ponderingly at the image of Kim Jong Il. Public Safety Log 12/2 Vail Missing End Table “It was messing with the feng shui of the room.” 12/3 Poland Alcohol Under 21 and Drugs So let’s get party going, let’s get a party going! Now it’s time to party and we’ll party hard! PARTY HARD! 12/3 Poland Destruction of Property Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy said he boogie said up jump the boogie! 12/3 Stonhenge Parking Lot Reckless Driver Likuh G6! Likuh G, Likuh G6! 12/5 Wheelock Alcohol Under 21 “... and what the hell’s on Joey’s head?” 12/5 Stonehenge Parking Lot Marijuana “How did his eyes get so red...?”
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Transcript of Critic Page 5
Peter NuteNews Editor
A certain letter to the edi-tor from a giant purple peopleeater spliced with a fairy in lastweek’s edition of the Criticcaused a minor uproar in pro-duction, generated a rift be-tween co-workers and dividedreaders. Never before (at least inmy estimation) has two seem-
ingly harmless sentences causedsuch a heated debate of what isand what isn’t proper to publish.
The editor of the Critic,Eric Blaisdell, has recently madeit a goal of his to never evenconsider censoring what hiswriters choose to write, what hisreaders choose to read, or whatthose inclined to write a letterto the editor choose to send in.
These newfound revelations, aswell as a strong penchant towear red and the sudden ap-pearance of a photograph ofKim Jong Il that made it on tothe wall of the Critic office havecaused some to wonder: is itpossible that the editor of theCritic is a communist?
Unlike what the UnitedStates generally considers com-munism, Blaisdell believes innot putting a filter on what thepeople say.
In June of 1928 James P.Cannon - former national secre-tary of the Communist Leagueof America - wrote a letter tothe political committee whowas postponing the publicationof his own paper, the DailyWorker due to the content ofthe stories, the small amount of“experienced” writers, and thesupposed lack of direction andsupport. “Our paper… shouldnot be confined to the groove ofany established ‘newspaper’standard.We should not fear toblaze a new trail in form as wellas in substance and to make apattern of our own. We musthave more features in the paper,especially light and interesting
features, as a balance to theheavier material.”
Though Blaisdell was notfamiliar with Cannon, his news-paper, or the excerpt abovefrom “James P. Cannon and theEarly Years of American Com-munism,” his beliefs in what theCritic is, what it should be, andthe direction the paper is goingin are strong - echoing to a cer-tain extent Cannon’s senti-ments.
“The paper (the Critic) isfor the people. It is the voice ofthe people. It is made by thepeople,” Blaisdell said. “Every-body has the chance to say whatthey want to say. Everyone whohas an opinion is welcome tothat opinion. I’m not going toput my own bias, my own viewsinto what gets published be-cause this is a student paper forthe students.”
The changes the Critic willbe going through will be “subtleat first,” according to Blaisdell.“It will gain momentum.A storyhere and there. Get peoplethinking about what’s best forthe people, not so much what’sbest for the individual.”
Understanding that Blais-dell’s views are not directly as-sociated with communism, thisstill has not explained the pho-tograph of Kim Jong Il on thewall.
“Well,” Blaisdell said whileglancing at the photo. “Heseems to be doing pretty well.”
Blaisdell believes that “KimJong Il has nothing but NorthKorea’s best interests at heart.He’s a role model to try to baseyour life around if you want tobe successful and spread yourword efficiently and effectively.”Blaisdell added that “thereshouldn’t be dictators ortyrants. No leaders; no anarchy.For the people.”
When asked if he was con-cerned that people may believethat he is communist by takingon these views and suddenlyhanging photos of Kim Jong Ilon the walls of the Critic office,he answered “I don’t see thedownfall.”
So is it really possible that ared shirt wearing, Kim Jong Ilworshipping editor of a collegenewspaper is in fact a commu-nist? Perhaps. Or maybe theCritic will just publish anything.
OOPPIINNIIOONNDec. 9, 2011 The Critic, Page 4
Editor of The Critic: Communist?
Photo by Sierra Willenberg
Blaisdell looks ponderingly at the image of Kim Jong Il.
Public Safety Log
12/2 Vail -Missing End Table“It was messing with thefeng shui of the room.”
12/3 Poland -Alcohol Under21 and Drugs So let’s get party
going, let’s get aparty going! Nowit’s time to party andwe’ll party hard!PARTY HARD!
12/3 Poland -Destruction ofProperty Bawitdaba da banga dang diggy diggydiggy said he boogiesaid up jump theboogie!
12/3 Stonhenge Parking Lot- RecklessDriverLikuh G6!Likuh G, LikuhG6!
12/5 Wheelock -Alcohol Under 21“... and what the hell’son Joey’s head?”
12/5 Stonehenge Parking Lot -Marijuana“How did his eyes get so red...?”
