Universities Weblog

Recently, 7,000 copies of Morehead State University's campus newspaper, The Trail Blazer, were stolen. Apparently, this is not an isolated incident, and is in fact "a popular form of censorship and became popular in the 1990s."

From The Trail Blazer:

Thefts of campus newspapers have occurred at colleges and universities across the country and many of these thefts were successfully prosecuted even though the newspapers were offered free of charge.

Mark Goodman, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, in Arlington, Va., said newspaper theft is a popular form of censorship and became popular in the 1990s.

"In 1993 we really saw an explosion in newspaper theft," he said. "People began to see it as an easy way to prevent the dissemination of news."

Goodman said the SPLC reports on from 15 to 40 cases of newspaper theft each year but not every incident of newspaper theft is reported to the SPLC.

The idea of such extreme Acts of censorship committed by college students is a disturbing thought. Why not write an article to the paper expressing displeasure, rather than commit theft? Isn't college the time to explore others' opinions and views on issues? Even if a student does not agree, the idea of higher education is to expand the mind, not to limit it.

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