Jun 2, 2004

Alabama Censorship Update

by Liberty and Power

The Mobile Register (located three hours from Tuscaloosa) has provided an update of the continuing campaign of President Robert E. Witt of the University of Alabama to bar the Alabama Observer, the newspaper of the Alabama Scholars Association from the campus mail. The campaign began after the Observer published embarassing stories on grade inflation, attempts to ban political window displays, and other issues which the administration would prefer not to discuss:

"A national academic freedom organization is criticizing University of Alabama administrators for barring a conservative faculty group from using the campus mail system.

"UA's message is clear," said Greg Lukianoff, director of legal and public advocacy for the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

"Criticism of UA President Robert E. Witt and his administration will not be tolerated and will be met by repression and censorship."

For the rest, see here (scroll down).

Meanwhile, the intrepid Gilbert Cruz, who covers the campus beat for the Tuscaloosa News and his best known for his front page story on "Bear" Bryant bobblehead dolls , has decided not to mention this controversy. Instead, he continues to write puff pieces on the dimensions of Shelby Hall and the closing of local record stores.