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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITORIAL EDITORS
KameronCole
Stefanie Knowlton
Trivializing
tragedy
MTV’s coverage of the Littleton shootings lacks
dignity and respect
admit it. I like MTV.
It’s one of those channels you can leave on while you
clean the house or cook or do whatever. MTV is sort of
like the brainless portion of the day. It entertains me
enough, provides interesting programming and doesn’t
have much impact on my life.
But the other night, probably around 1 or 2 a.m., I tuned
into MTV and was absolutely appalled with MTV News
1515’s coverage of the shootings at
Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo.
The images of the students running
from the school was set to upbeat, almost
fun music. The interview clips were edit
ed as if the kids were at a concert talking
about their favorite band members. The
captions were composed of trendy writing
and implied a glamorization of the inci
dent.
In the past week, the media were over
T ldh 17 flowing with Columbine High School
uOlOnammer shooting clips, information and reports. It
—— has all been cut and dry — like it should
be, with no sensationalism.
There is nothing glamorous about murder.
MTV News 1515 completely sensationalized the
Columbine shooting.
Short cuts and quick edits are commonly associated
with MTV programming, advertising and style, but in this
case it was not appropriate.
ter of concern, aware
ness and
news.
It
made me sick that such
a widely watched chan
nel would make such a
mockery of the incident and
pass it off as trivial. Judging
by the ethical level of MTV
News’ reporting, it was al
most as if the station report
ed the incident just to
save face.
The residents of Little
ton are trying to un
derstand what hap
pened and are
realizing they
have to slowly
heal the emo
tional
wounds. MTV News gave no consid
eration to the feelings and emotions
of those directly and indirectly in
volved.
The nation stood with dropped jaws,
disbelief and tears as the body count
grew and details began to surface. This is
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of news reported on MTV News 1515, immediately fol
lowed by reports of Sean “Puffy” Combs’ arrest and other
music/entertainment/celebrity/glam news.
MTV News’ presentation of the shooting came across
more like it was a civic duty to report it rather than a mat
a lime wnen people snouia De supporting
Littleton, its residents and, most important, the students.
But MTV has decided to turn the situation into a glitzed
up, good-for-its-station piece of journalism — if you can
call it that.
MTV News 1515’s reporting of the Columbine High
School shooting was absolutely wretched and the entire
network owes an apology not just to Littleton and
Columbine High School, but to the entire nation.
Amy Goldhammer is a columnist for the Emerald. Her views do
not necessarily represent those of the newspaper.
Letters to tne tciitor
Unjustified accusations
I am writing in response to the “Sore
Losers” editorial (ODE, April 19). This edi
torial showed so little class on the part of
the Editorial Board.
Rules were broken during the election
and actions were taken to punish the viola
tors. ASUO Executive candidates Dan Reid
and Matt Swanson were not responsible for
filing the grievance against Wylie Chen and
Mitra.
In your editorial you implied that Reid
and Swanson lacked strength of character
and maturity.
I would like to hear your justification for
the “sore losers” remark. Maturity includes
not slandering the competition in the school
newspaper.
If you truly believed in the candidate you
were supporting, then you should have
Highlighted their positive points and not
reached so low as to put down the oppo
nent. I see this as a clear-cut case of the pot
calling the kettle black.
Lauren Smith
Eugene
Special interest groups
Well, well, well, OSPIRG, you’ve arrived
back on campus to the tune of $128,000
over the next two years. I suppose once
again it’ll be dumped into your “corporate
hell hole” and we, the students, will never
see it put to good use.
Answer me this. How much of the “loot”
is going to stay on campus or in the local
community? How much money will be
wasted on overhead?
Are you going to divulge where “our”
money goes? Or are you going to be so
caught up with yourselves that you don’t
feel the need to tell u??
It annoys me to fund any “political”
group with student fees. What’s next? Fund
ing the OCA or the Democratic Party, or
how about the NRA’or even the Republican
Party, or better yet, how about some neo
Nazi organization? I don’t believe in any of
those organizations and I sure in hell don’t
believe in OSPIRG!
I don’t think any “campus” organization
should take money away from the Univer
sity. I don’t want any organization with a
political agenda funded with my fee mon
ey. I’m more than willing to fund organiza
tions and support groups that directly help
or assist the student body.
I don’t want my money going to a bunch
of bureaucrats — I’m talking to you OSPIRG!
— who will waste the money as quickly as
the military wastes money on $600 toilet
seats for multimillion-dollar bombers.
You know, maybe I should get funding
from student fees to support “Students
Against OSPIRG” so we can play this game
on a level field ... who’s with me?
Kenny Gates
Computer Information Sciences
Move debate on-line
I attended SETA’s sponsored “forum”
hoping for discussion of views on Universi
ty research with animals. SETA’s previous
uncivil attacks caused the Institute of Neu
roscience to decline its invitation. Howev
er, I and several others were interested in
giving our personal views on the validity of
University research with animals.
Instead of hearing SETA’s concerns and
questions on this issue, I was faced with a
repetitious, two-hour monologue delivered
by a SETA-invited speaker, Javier Burgos.
Not only does Burgos not have his science
facts straight, he also belittled SETA’s cause
of animal rights.
SETA has publically bemoaned its lack of
discussion with scientists at the University.
The Forum for Science Education set up a
discussion table at the Neuroscience Open
House last month specifically for SETA and
those with questions about animals in re
search to express their views. Unfortunate
ly, SETA chose not to visit the table. At its
own forum, SETA dodged discussion by
hiding behind a non-SETA professional
speaker who even inhibited the discussion
of his views.
Because establishing new venues for dis
cussion hasn’t proven successful, let’s use
one that works. As a medium for dialog,
campus newsgroups are currently in use
and widely accessible. Perhaps this is a
mode we can try. I'm sure SETA would find
a uo.org.animatiesearch group to be useful
for discussions the whole campus can join
in on.
Jocelyn McAuley
Forum for Science Education
Act against neon
“For an organizing campaign to be suc
cessful, two groups of people must change:
The people who become involved in the
campaign and the people with the power to
make decisions to stop poisoning,” said
Lois Marie Gibbs in “Dying From Dioxin.”
Each individual within the campus com
munity holds the power to make the wise
decision not to use neon-colored and heavi
ly dyed paper. Please exercise this privilege
in order to save the environment and ulti
mately ourselves from exposure to dioxin.
Students involved in the Neon Kills cam
paign are trying their hardest to get the word
out regarding this harmful paper. But re
member, without your help the goal will not
be accomplished. No one can act as a by
stander. It takes the entire community to
work together and educate each other to
make a real difference.
Please make a conscious decision in your
paper use and realize that there are other ef
fective methods to convey a message beside
using neon, goldenrod and heavily dyed pa
per.
Katie Hayes
Journalism
LETTERS POLICY
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to print all letters containing comments
on topics of interest to the University
community. Letters must be limited to
250 words, The Emerald reserves the
right to edit any letter for length, clarity,
grammar, style and libel, letters may be
dropped off at EMU Suite 300.