A human being never thinks she is right, she knows she is right. Northern Star journalists are, with rare exception, human beings, and they suffer from this shortfall. It is natural and forgivable.

What is unforgivable is a journalist who fails to consider the possibility that he might be wrong. When a journalist sets his opinion onto print, he invites criticism. For this reason I am surprised to read columnist Mike Lacy expressing chagrin at receiving criticism.

Theorists suggest that a newspaper’s readership is a function of its quality. A newspaper whose columnists regularly expressed views which its readership thought were bigoted, self-gratifying, insensitive—or just plain stupid—would not be read.

While the popularity of an idea is not the appropriate means for judging its quality as an idea, the popularity of a given publication can be an accurate means of judging journalistic quality. The best efforts of suppressionists are only partially successful in quashing good ideas that are well-expressed.

This competition of ideas does not effect The Northern Star. They operate in a facility supported by public funds and use capital which was purchased in past years with student fees. For this reason, columnists like Mike Lacy and Dave Duschene can continue to publish their self-serving opinions and make intentional mischaracterizations of fact. They go unchecked.

The Star has writers and editors who produce quality work. Their work is seen all too rarely. Perhaps the poor quality of Duschene and Lacy’s work is the fact that they are insulated from the normal competition in our media.

Perhaps this insulation is so great as to make necessary the use of a march to the newspaper’s office. (I am shocked that a journalist would express opposition to the exercise of free speech in any non-violent form. Perhaps Lacy advocates protection of only his speech.)

Perhaps Lacy and Duschene, even though they know they are right, may find it responsible to rethink their opinions.

Perhaps Hell will freeze over.

J. E. Snyder

Alumnus, B.A. History

NIU law student