A bunch of things have happened in the last few days since "my original post":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/001037/. Here there are in no particular order (some of them I already put into updates in my original post): * The next issue of The Medium contained "an apology":http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/04/28/rutgers.holocaust.ap/index.html. The issue is archived "here(The 'apology' issue of The Medium)":http://feralboy.com/medium/42804.pdf. * According to the emails I'm still getting between some former editors, Professor Jeff Buechner, who was faculty advisor to The Medium, has resigned. Below is the text of the email that was sent to him by one of the editors:

Dear Professor Beuchner,

I just received your voicemail indicating that you have resigned from your position as Faculty Advisor for The Medium because of your outrage over the publication of the holocaust cartoon. And while I certainly share your feelings about the content of the cartoon, I'd very much like to urge you to reconsider your resignation. But before going any further, I want to make very clear how I felt about the cartoon. It was utterly DREADFUL and I am very certain *I* would have opposed its publication with all of my ability had it landed on my front page when I was The Medium's Managing Editor. I sent the current editors a letter saying I believed it was a "supremely dumb idea" and I am glad to see they've issued an apology for printing it. That being said, I urge you to put your personal anger at the cartoon (and perhaps the current editors) aside and recognize The Medium as a unique educational laboratory. It may not seem immediately self-evident that publishing "101 Uses For A Dead Liberace" or "Stupid Jew Baking Tricks" would instill an appreciation for the balance between First Amendment rights and journalistic responsibility. But it turns out getting hate mail, death threats, universal condemnation and being forced to stand up and explain one's actions before the whithering attacks of a rabid public are uniquely effective at focusing the mind on matters of ethics and responsibility.

I have no idea what the current staff is like. It may well be the current Medium is just a pathetic attempt to recreate something that the editors have never seen. Maybe they are just going through the motions and have never thought seriously about what they were doing. I don't know. However, I believe deeply that the Medium needs to be cherished and yes, defended, as a place where students can and *should* explore the limits of free speech, screw up spectacularly, and feel the heat from their mistakes. I believe they should be *encouraged* to explore the ragged edges of good taste and required to defend themselves when they cross the line. I know the experience taught me more than I ever learned in "Expository Writing 101". And more importantly, I know other alums from the past 20 years of the Medium experience who believe as passionately as I do. They are cc'd on this email and their numbers and convictions are not trivial.

Of course, if you are not a tenured faculty member, then I'd have to say, "Good luck in your future endeavers" because I have seen first hand the Univerity's willingness to harrass and fire Medium Faculty Advisors. But if you are tenured, then I'd ask you sincerely to please reconsider.

Thanks,

-Janus Cole LC 1988 Medium Managing Editor 1986-1987

* Two former editors (and the "cutest little couple":http://feralboy.com/photoalbum/photos/?folder=20030524_robin_joshua_wedding you ever did see), "Robin":http://firepile.com/robin/ and "Joshua":http://www.firepile.com/log/, "have":http://www.firepile.com/log/archives/000130.html "also":http://www.firepile.com/robin/archives/000128.html "opined":http://www.firepile.com/robin/archives/000131.html.