Censorship Is Not the Answer

The Scranton Times Tribune also thinks that the University of Scranton overreacted when it shut down the school newspaper over a parody of the Passion of the Christ. In an earlier story the paper reported that the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and the Student Press Law Center had also voiced opposition to the University's suppression of its student press. The Washington Post, meanwhile, in its round up of student papers shut down over April Fools' editions, seems to have unfairly characterized the Scranton story by placing it in the same context as two papers who published racially offensive stories or cartoons. In all of these case, while it is appropriate for the staff of the papers to be accountable for what they publish, it does not seem that the appropriate response is simply to shut down the paper. Even when speech is offensive, the cure is more speech -- further debate and articulate criticism. Only in this manner is the public educated about the value of free speech and the values that those opposed to the offensive speech seek to uphold.