We’ve all heard the story of when a farmer cuts the head off of a chicken and it runs around the yard a bit before finally dying. And once the hatchet falls, there’s no way to put the head back on the bird so it can live a little longer.

But it seems the University Council is attempting to replace the head of a decapitated fowl called Stump, the blatantly racist publication that was circulated around campus last semester. At its December meeting, the UC passed a resolution condemning the publication—without question a noble action.

Stump, which, according to its authors, was intended to be humorous and satirical, was crude and disgusting. And at the time the publication was circulating, there was plenty of reason for it and its authors to be openly castigated. But by the time the UC made its distaste for Stump public, it was more or less just a bad memory.

The UC most likely is sincere in its condemnation of the rag. If the council had acted when the issue was still causing a stir on campus, each member would have been deserving of praise.

The problem is that there is nothing the UC really can do about Stump because, like it or not, the authors are free to publish what they choose under the protective wing of the First Amendment. In fact, it is uncertain if the university even has the power to prevent the distribution of Stump on campus because of the provisions of the constitution.

It appears that the council is going to keep the raunchy publication in the news while it discusses it at its monthly meetings. Unfortunately, it also appears that the council will not be able to do anything concrete to punish the authors or prevent such a publication from appearing again. Simply slapping the authors on the wrist with a disapproving resolution will not guard against recurrences of this nature.

Besides, there are more pressing issues—such as the questionable University Research Professorship raises—for the council to be concentrating its efforts on. Under these circumstances it would be favorable if the UC would just let Stump die of its own accord. If not, the council is taking the chance of putting the head back on the chicken so that it can run around a little longer and kick up even more dust for us to choke on.