Student newspaper uses profanity to support free speech

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Story Published: Oct 1, 2007 at 9:23 PM PST

By Jennifer Winters and Michele Armand

A debate over the free speech rights of students is playing out on the editorial page of the Oregon Daily Emerald.

The independent, student run newspaper at the University of Oregon put an opinion piece on their website today (Monday) that used a profanity in the headline.

The editorial defends the right of the embattled Colorado State student newspaper to use the f-word.

The Oregon Daily Emerald's student editor says they wouldn't normally use that word, but wanted to make a strong statement in support of free speech.

"I think there shouldn't be rules on when you can or cannot use any specific words and I think limiting what or when you can't use certain words does limit free speech and it necessarily limits free speech if you can't say certain things." said Laura Powers, the editor in chief.

University of Oregon's School of Journalism dean Tim Gleason says, any newspaper must consider its audience when choosing what language to use.

He says the Emerald editorial made a reasoned argument, but that argument may be overshadowed by the shocking language.

"Do I think it was a good ideas to use the f-word, no I don't, but I think they have the right to do it and that make an argument to support that right and that's really what student journalism is all about," said Gleason.

The Daily Emerald opinion didn't actually appear in Monday's paper because of an error at the printing press however, the piece is expected to hit newsstands Tuesday.

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