Here’s some discouraging news about political debate at my alma mater: Over half of the press run of a student paper, The Counterweight,was stolen last week. A press release from the Bucknell University Conservatives Club (who publishes the paper) explains:
The issue was assumedly stolen because it featured several controversial articles criticizing the University’s sponsorship of Focus the Nation, a national teach-in about global climate change. This event was the latest example of University-supported indoctrination and deliberate political activism.
Sarah Schubert, editor-in-chief of The Counterweight said, “This vandalism is unacceptable because it amounts to censorship; on a college campus, the free and vigorous exchange of ideas should be wholeheartedly defended by everyone.”
I worked on The Counterweight staff when I was at Bucknell. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that significant portions of a press run have been stolen. It’s always sad to see students trying to shut down political debate rather than participate in it.