Posted on 01/01/2003 9:33:59 PM PST by calif_reaganite
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: IGOR BIRMAN
JANUARY 1, 2003
Campus Newspaper Fires Sole Conservative Columnist
DAVIS – In yet another attack on freedom of thought on college campuses, The California Aggie – a campus newspaper at the University of California, Davis has fired Igor Birman – its only conservative columnist, despite a contract lasting until the end of June 2003.
In his email announcing Birman’s dismissal, Fitzgerald Vo, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief cited “a tendency to enrage members of the opposing causes” as the reason for the columnist’s firing.
Birman’s column, The Right Stuff, provided the campus community with conservative commentary, expressing strong support for the war on terrorism and invoking a lively debate on issues ranging from the Israeli-Palestinian crisis to reparations for slavery. The Right Stuff was the only conservative column in the campus newspaper that, along with Birman, also hired three columnists to provide left-wing ideas and views.
To Birman, this latest attempt to silence the growing conservative movement on the UC Davis campus appears to be part of a trend that includes regular disappearances of conservative student publications and intimidation practices, such as obscene and threatening emails sent to prominent conservative students.
“I merely attempted to provide a conservative perspective to the UC Davis community in my column. My intentions never included forcing ideas on anyone. I am profoundly saddened now that the Aggie lost its only conservative voice. The most accessible marketplace of ideas on campus has been shut down. I guess my column was too threatening to the supremacy of liberal thought on campus,” Birman said.
Birman further added that he regards the Aggie’s decision to dismiss him as a breach of contract, since the latter contains an explicit clause setting June 30, 2003 as the termination date and giving the Aggie no power to dismiss Birman before then. “I am currently consulting with my legal counsel, and absent a retraction of the dismissal by the Aggie, I expect to file a breach of contract lawsuit against the parties involved.”
Birman may be reached at 530-754-3339. The dismissal notice and a copy of the contract will be provided upon request.
-30-
Email from the newspaper:
I hope you're having a good new year. Thanks for giving me the opportunity this year to edit your columns. Due to the increasingly tighter spaces in The Aggie and the relative impact of your column, I regret to inform you that I would have to cut your The Right Stuff Column.
This is due to several reasons, first of which is the dryness in your column's tone. I have told you several times that I would like to hear more of your voice in your columns, but that seems to be muddled in a lot of similarly versed right-wing rhetoric that I have heard before. Again, I would like a unique perspective, and you don't seem to provide it.
Secondly, the tone of your column seems to have a tendency to enrage members of the opposing causes. Judging from the range of feedback I have received, your column does not seem to spark dialogue, but anger that only increases a tit-for-tat response.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any more concerns or questions.
Sincerely,
Fitz Vo
________________________
Fitzgerald Vo
Editor in Chief
The California Aggie
25 Lower Freeborn Hall
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
Phone: (530) 752-9887
Fax: (530) 752-0355
www.californiaaggie.com
editor@californiaaggie.com
I would think you would benifit from the help of the Berkeley College Republicans and the staff at the California Patriot. They have been in similiar situations like yours in the past. I have supported them and urge all Freepers to support them, and other conservatives like yourself who aren't afraid to speak out.
Check out their website: www.calpatriot.org TO ALL ALUMNI: When calling or corresponding mention a withholding of donations until this is resolved.
This same ability gets liberal columnists a Pulitzer.
Campuses are hotbeds of conformity.
(or is it campusi?)
Secondly, the tone of your column seems to have a tendency to enrage members of the opposing causes.This would be true about any conservative, the nature of campus leftism being what it is today. My college paper column (mid 80s) often managed to micturate off the lunatic fringe of the time, which closely resembled the mainstream of today's "progressives".
-Eric
Hmmm . . .
My suggestion is that you put together a few of these stories and ask The Onion to do one of their hilarious spoof pieces, for starters. I think that would generate much more attention to the hypocrisy involved in these matters than even a report on Fox News would generate.
Sounds like UK has come a long way from when I was there. At that time (Nixon era) the University had massive anti-war protests and was subsequently occupied by the Kentucky National Guard. (Nobody liked the smell of tear gas in the morning.)
Pray for GW and the Truth
I graduated from UC Davis, and wrote for Davis Republic, the conservative paper at the time. It has since gone out of print. At the time, our nemesis was The Third World Monitor, an ultra lefty rag that was paid for lock, stock and barrell by a steady stream of funds from ASUCD. The bothersome thing wasn't so much the hateful bildge they pumped out as much as the fact that I was being made to pay for it...
I really wish I could say I'm surprised at the way they treated you, but I just can't. Davis gave me some great times, and I think the area is beautiful, but I really hate the politics of that place.
I'm glad it's all behind me, now.
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