NEWS
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
"Joke" indeed: here's some of the responses online to the Daily's lead "story" in last Friday's joke edition: "Three 'snobs' slain outside Rick's" It makes me wonder what the responses say that aren't "approved" by the newspaper to appear on their website."As a Jewish graduate reading this article I think it is offensive. With everything going on on college campuses right now and because of what's happening in the Middle East I would like to think the people on campus aren't helping to feed into bashing Jewish people, even if it is self deprecating."
"I love good satire but these articles are not funny nor do they satisfy they definition of satire. They are sad and cruel. I would expect this kind of writing from an angry seventh grader not a UM scholar. Your attempt at cutting edge humor was not successful. I believe in free speech but why use this treasured right to shield failed satire."
"When I first read this article my initial reaction was one of complete shock and anger. How, in what is supposed to be merely a joke, could such offensive stereotypes be attached to an entire religious group on campus? The blatant ignorance here is deeply troubling."
"Spoof issue or not, the Michigan Daily should be ashamed of themselves for allowing such garbage as this to be printed. Moreover, as was mentioned in a previous post, an apology to the Jewish Community should be given, the sooner the better."
"I graduated from U-M twenty years ago with an MA. ...That this "humor" was actually printed is an outrageous disgrace to the University of Michigan's Student Publications, and to the University of Michigan in general. It is not well conceived or well written, and it certainly is not funny by any measure. Who is in charge over there these days?!"
"The topic isn't funny and is seriously misguided in its attempt to make a current difficult situation humorous. This is why there are supposed to be editors. When a writer fails in his/her attempt to be satirical, ironic, humorous, spoof, call it what you will, an editorial staff is supposed to edit, reject, totally rewrite, or publish with editorial comment."
"i am not a jew, but i found this article deeply troubling. while i understand it was a sophomoric attempt to spoof a long-standing campus culture clash -- which existed when i was at um in the 60's and when my parents were there in the 40's -- and not ostensibly meant as an attack on a cultural or religious group, it went too far. the satirical account of the murder of young girls, in whatever context, is never funny. ... and if i, a nonjew, am as concerned about this issue as this letter shows, think what jews, on campus and who read the spoof article, must feel?"
"Reading a spoof should not make one feel sad, hurt or disappointed. In a time when people should be coming together I would not think it appropriate to further stereotypes that we have been trying to fight for years. Being a jew in a sorority does not make me a snob. ...You are discussing wanting to kill people...what is funny about that?"
"The Daily printing this article is an all new low in "editorial freedom". Someone, somewhere once said with freedom comes responsibility and the writers/editors missed that."
Posted by Rob at 2:09 AM
