My old stomping grounds are all over the news right now. The student editor-in-chief decided, along with a couple colleagues, to post a selection of the Danish cartoons that have touched off a holy war of the world.

Eric Zorn has a piece on it today, including his reflections from a conversation he had with Acton Gorton, the above referenced EIC. He's staying fairly cool on the subject, though my impression (perhaps mistaken) was that he was perhaps not supporting publisher Mary Cory's decision to send this letter to DI alums yesterday.

I posted this comment on Zorn's blog:
I worked at the Daily Illini from 1989 to 1992, as a columnist, reporter, and eventually as associate and interim opinions editor. During my tenure, we student journalists waged a few controversy wars ourselves -- though nothing quite as big as this one, I'll concede.

I vividly recall being awakened by a phone call from a local Jewish leader, accusing me of being "the worst kind of self-hating Jew" because of a column we allowed onto the Opinions page. (I believe that was the time Matthew Hale was gaining his loud, anti-Semitic voice downstate.) I didn't agree with the author's words, but the editorial board did discuss the topic and delivery at length, and decided the community deserved to make their own opinions as to its content. Long story short, I'm not positive I'd make that same decision today; I definitely don't have that paper to which to refer and reconsider.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that these are, indeed, student journalists. Some are just learning their skills and craft, and some are just learning a little about the necessary craft of good judgement as well. The power of the pen has not diminished since we've moved to digital publication.

I worked under Mary Cory (and Dan Bernard -- who first hired me -- as well), and found her to be incredibly knowledgeable, reasonable, and a great mentor to the thousands of writers, photographers, and artists who course through the DI. I received the letter to the alums yesterday and had nothing but sympathy for those dealing with this awkward situation. I don't know the student editors involved, but my personal guess is that this was a possibly misguided combination of bravado and self-righteousness, mixed with the impetuousness of youth. I don't know whether the cartoons should or should not have been printed at all, but I do think such an inflammatory topic should have been very carefully considered by a larger group of people than two or three editors, with potential input from (let's say) a trusted journ professor or two.

BTW, one poster above commented that his/her objection to the situation was that the DI is a school-funded paper. Unless things have changed since my '92 graduation, The Daily Illini is (or at least, was) one of the only independent student newspapers in the country. It's funded by advertising, sponsorship, and subscription. So, while this whole brouhaha does reflect (fairly or unfairly) on the University of Illiniois, nobody's tuition or tax dollars pay Gorton's salary.

When I went back to read his post on the letter (I'd received it personally so hadn't gone to his blog's entry on it until just now), I discovered that Zorn's problem with Mary's letter was what he viewed as "humbug." Let's just say "inconsistency," ; here on my blog, 'kay? Zorn felt that Mary's statement (of Gorton's acting without consultation was worthy of his suspension from the paper) ran contrary to her stating that the editor-in-chief has full editorial control.

Some seem to think that Mary is perhaps abusing her authority, and pretending that the protocol isn't really the reason for the suspension -- actually running the cartoons was. Frankly, I worked under Mary and can't fathom that really being the case. She is far too accustomed to working with -- and empowering -- students to operate in such a way.

I have to say that I agree with those who believe this particular EIC was operating with a mind towards personal gain in this situation... anyone notice that he's already got an attorney -- a Muslim civil rights specialist, yet -- speaking for him? I may have worked with some minor egos in my time, but this takes the cake, and indicates far more to me about Acton Gorton than do his words.