And so it begins
As usual, the Independent Alligator gets it completely wrong:
My comments are in (bold parentheses).
Silenced! Student Senate shouldn't censor Accent
By Editorial Staff
We hate to say it, but one Student Government organization is actually doing something right. Not everything, mind you, but we'll give credit where credit's due.
Accent prides itself on bringing controversial and nonconventional speakers from all viewpoints and mindsets. Some of the names they've brought include Ellen Degeneres, Michael Moore, Ari Fleischer, Kurt Vonnegut, former President George H. W. Bush and Ross Perot. (None of those speakers, by the way, are convicted killers.)
So when Accent announced it was paying Dr. (medical license revoked 15 years ago) Jack Kevorkian (recently paroled killer) $50,000 to speak, we expected to hear some outcry, but nothing of this level.
After the Pro-Life Alliance spoke out at Tuesday's Student Senate meeting about the speaker receiving student money for his appearance, Senate President Robert Agrusa said he would form a committee to investigate changing statutes to allow the Senate to have a say in what speakers Accent brings to UF.
Bad idea, Mr. Senate President.
Kevorkian's notoriety stems from his admittance for assisting suicides for about 130 terminally ill patients (70% of those "terminally ill patients" were not, in fact, terminally ill). A hotly debated issue, no doubt. But is one man speaking about his belief in the right to die with dignity (debatable) grounds for censoring the entire future of Accent? (Of course the Alligator makes this all about censorship. Actually, what SG did was make it so that speakers aren't decided by just the leaders of Accent, but by all UF students. That doesn't sound like censorship to me. See what I mean below.)
We can't help but point out that assisted suicide is legal in Oregon, as well as in Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, according to the Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization, and many countries have no precedent on the legality of euthanasia.
We didn't see the Senate blocking Accent from bringing Bill Clinton to UF, and he was impeached (but not convicted). No one said no to Ann Coulter, who many conservatives recognize as crazy (but not a killer).
Accent's been doing something right for the 40 years it's been around (until now). The organization is right to bring controversy to campus. We're willing to bet Kevorkian will have thousands of people lined up to hear him. (I was going to point out the irony in the phrase "Kevorkian will have thousands of people lined up to [fill in the blank]", but it would be in bad taste for me to go that far.)
College is a time for us to explore new things and expand our minds - we cannot let the Student Senate stifle that.
***
Meanwhile, Student Government gets it right:
I received this e-mail today. Bravo, SG!
"Let Students Choose! is a new program designed to give the student body more control over their Activity and Service fees. The University of Florida's ACCENT Speakers Bureau and Student Government Productions are known for inviting world-renowned speakers and performers for the learning and entertainment benefit of students and the community. With the new Let Students Choose! Survey, you will be able to give your input on the speakers and entertainers that you would like to see. Student Government looks forward to pursuing your choices and working for the student body to bring incredible speakers and entertainers to the University of Florida. "
The survey asks how likely it would be for you to attend certain speakers. Notable name on the list: Bill Nye the Science Guy (awesome!).
Jack Kevorkian was not on the list.
My comments are in (bold parentheses).
Silenced! Student Senate shouldn't censor Accent
By Editorial Staff
We hate to say it, but one Student Government organization is actually doing something right. Not everything, mind you, but we'll give credit where credit's due.
Accent prides itself on bringing controversial and nonconventional speakers from all viewpoints and mindsets. Some of the names they've brought include Ellen Degeneres, Michael Moore, Ari Fleischer, Kurt Vonnegut, former President George H. W. Bush and Ross Perot. (None of those speakers, by the way, are convicted killers.)
So when Accent announced it was paying Dr. (medical license revoked 15 years ago) Jack Kevorkian (recently paroled killer) $50,000 to speak, we expected to hear some outcry, but nothing of this level.
After the Pro-Life Alliance spoke out at Tuesday's Student Senate meeting about the speaker receiving student money for his appearance, Senate President Robert Agrusa said he would form a committee to investigate changing statutes to allow the Senate to have a say in what speakers Accent brings to UF.
Bad idea, Mr. Senate President.
Kevorkian's notoriety stems from his admittance for assisting suicides for about 130 terminally ill patients (70% of those "terminally ill patients" were not, in fact, terminally ill). A hotly debated issue, no doubt. But is one man speaking about his belief in the right to die with dignity (debatable) grounds for censoring the entire future of Accent? (Of course the Alligator makes this all about censorship. Actually, what SG did was make it so that speakers aren't decided by just the leaders of Accent, but by all UF students. That doesn't sound like censorship to me. See what I mean below.)
We can't help but point out that assisted suicide is legal in Oregon, as well as in Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, according to the Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization, and many countries have no precedent on the legality of euthanasia.
We didn't see the Senate blocking Accent from bringing Bill Clinton to UF, and he was impeached (but not convicted). No one said no to Ann Coulter, who many conservatives recognize as crazy (but not a killer).
Accent's been doing something right for the 40 years it's been around (until now). The organization is right to bring controversy to campus. We're willing to bet Kevorkian will have thousands of people lined up to hear him. (I was going to point out the irony in the phrase "Kevorkian will have thousands of people lined up to [fill in the blank]", but it would be in bad taste for me to go that far.)
College is a time for us to explore new things and expand our minds - we cannot let the Student Senate stifle that.
***
Meanwhile, Student Government gets it right:
I received this e-mail today. Bravo, SG!
"Let Students Choose! is a new program designed to give the student body more control over their Activity and Service fees. The University of Florida's ACCENT Speakers Bureau and Student Government Productions are known for inviting world-renowned speakers and performers for the learning and entertainment benefit of students and the community. With the new Let Students Choose! Survey, you will be able to give your input on the speakers and entertainers that you would like to see. Student Government looks forward to pursuing your choices and working for the student body to bring incredible speakers and entertainers to the University of Florida. "
The survey asks how likely it would be for you to attend certain speakers. Notable name on the list: Bill Nye the Science Guy (awesome!).
Jack Kevorkian was not on the list.