Authorities threaten free speech, privacy
Cosmo's Corner
Jeremy Coseo
Issue date: 3/17/04 Section: Opinions
If you've kept up with the paper in the past week, you may have read some interesting stories.
Besides all the stories dealing with the troubles of the president of our university, there was one particularly disturbing story that ran March 8. The Rutherford County Sheriff's department apparently ran background checks on all the editors of our little college paper. Why? Because of an opinion.
This is flattering and disturbing at the same time. It's wonderful that our paper can reach an audience outside of the campus, and such an influential one at that. But it's a sad and scary day when the powers that be decide to push or intimidate us.
We're a small college publication that reaches a relatively small audience in a small town. Who could be scared of us or something we say? Well, it appears there are people who are frightened of us.
Historically speaking, I guess there are some grounds for the people in power to keep an eye on what's happening on college campuses. In the past, campuses have been the starting points for several social protests and activities, like the civil rights and anti-war movements.
What we have here seems small in comparison, but it should actually raise a lot of questions, all of which I can't go into, but it can affect us all.
For a brief recap of the controversy in question, I'll make it short. In an editorial on Feb. 18, the Daily News Journal was satirized as only reporting the "happy" news in Murfreesboro. Included in the editorial were comments like "the mayor is great, the sheriff and his merry band of thugs are great and so on."
It was this sarcastic comment about the sheriff's department that allegedly prompted the background checks.
What reasons were given for this unwarranted glance into the lives of the members of the editorial board? Edward Farmer, member of the sheriff's department's general counsel, said the comments were "degrading, an attempt to libel the sheriff and his department," and was concerned someone at the paper was using their position to pursue a "personal vendetta" against the sheriff's department.
The background checks turned up nothing.
I haven't heard too many concerned voices about this. Maybe people don't know about it, but this bothers me tremendously. As an American, I love my freedom, and whenever I feel anything is threatening my freedom, I'm up in arms. Searches like this are a threat to our freedom.
We have the right to free speech in this country, even if some people disagree with what's said. However, there are limitations on our speech, such as libel and obscenity, but this comment is far from either.
Free speech aside, we also have the right to privacy. A background check without permission is an invasion of privacy.
Shortly after the sheriff's department admitted to the background checks, however, they quickly denied doing the checks, leaving us with a "your word against mine" situation.
And as much as I'd like to think our word here at the paper can challenge that of those with power, I'm afraid nothing is going to come of this. I don't think we have the backing or money to fight something like this.
This leaves us with the option of doing what I'm doing now: voicing our dissent and giving a warning to everyone else out there.
We're heading into trouble times in this country. When the right to voice your opinion is met with an investigation into your life, it's un-American and a threat to democracy.
We're not in a police state yet, but if you turn your back on acts such as these, we will be.
Jeremy Coseo is a sophomore journalism major and can be reached via e-mail at jdc3g@mtsu.edu.
Besides all the stories dealing with the troubles of the president of our university, there was one particularly disturbing story that ran March 8. The Rutherford County Sheriff's department apparently ran background checks on all the editors of our little college paper. Why? Because of an opinion.
This is flattering and disturbing at the same time. It's wonderful that our paper can reach an audience outside of the campus, and such an influential one at that. But it's a sad and scary day when the powers that be decide to push or intimidate us.
We're a small college publication that reaches a relatively small audience in a small town. Who could be scared of us or something we say? Well, it appears there are people who are frightened of us.
Historically speaking, I guess there are some grounds for the people in power to keep an eye on what's happening on college campuses. In the past, campuses have been the starting points for several social protests and activities, like the civil rights and anti-war movements.
What we have here seems small in comparison, but it should actually raise a lot of questions, all of which I can't go into, but it can affect us all.
For a brief recap of the controversy in question, I'll make it short. In an editorial on Feb. 18, the Daily News Journal was satirized as only reporting the "happy" news in Murfreesboro. Included in the editorial were comments like "the mayor is great, the sheriff and his merry band of thugs are great and so on."
It was this sarcastic comment about the sheriff's department that allegedly prompted the background checks.
What reasons were given for this unwarranted glance into the lives of the members of the editorial board? Edward Farmer, member of the sheriff's department's general counsel, said the comments were "degrading, an attempt to libel the sheriff and his department," and was concerned someone at the paper was using their position to pursue a "personal vendetta" against the sheriff's department.
The background checks turned up nothing.
I haven't heard too many concerned voices about this. Maybe people don't know about it, but this bothers me tremendously. As an American, I love my freedom, and whenever I feel anything is threatening my freedom, I'm up in arms. Searches like this are a threat to our freedom.
We have the right to free speech in this country, even if some people disagree with what's said. However, there are limitations on our speech, such as libel and obscenity, but this comment is far from either.
Free speech aside, we also have the right to privacy. A background check without permission is an invasion of privacy.
Shortly after the sheriff's department admitted to the background checks, however, they quickly denied doing the checks, leaving us with a "your word against mine" situation.
And as much as I'd like to think our word here at the paper can challenge that of those with power, I'm afraid nothing is going to come of this. I don't think we have the backing or money to fight something like this.
This leaves us with the option of doing what I'm doing now: voicing our dissent and giving a warning to everyone else out there.
We're heading into trouble times in this country. When the right to voice your opinion is met with an investigation into your life, it's un-American and a threat to democracy.
We're not in a police state yet, but if you turn your back on acts such as these, we will be.
Jeremy Coseo is a sophomore journalism major and can be reached via e-mail at jdc3g@mtsu.edu.
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