Yes, it’s me.
In my irritation with Gary Miller and his asinine column on clubbing, I stepped over the line. I shouldn’t have indicted all of WSN in my complaints about Miller; that was unfair and untrue, and, to be honest, I don’t even really know what I’m talking about, since I only read the entire paper once or twice a month (and I generally stick to opinion and don’t venture very far from there).
I wasn’t exactly a superstar editor during my stint at WSN. A lot of my columns were repetitive and boring. I sucked at writing house editorials. I occassionally ran things that shouldn’t have run. It’s an exhausting job, and I burned out very, very quickly. If I could do it all over again, there are a lot of things that I would change.
But I worked hard, and I know that all of the current editors of WSN work hard, too. I wasn’t intending to denigrate their efforts; the reason I focused on WSN so harshly is because I cared about it when I was working there, and I continue to take an interest in where the paper is going, how it’s being run, and what it’s covering. When I wrote the general “WSN,” I wasn’t even thinking about news or features or arts or sports — I was focusing on the opinion section, and even my statements on that were far too harsh. I think that the current staff is doing a very good job. I think that the current opinion editors are doing a very good job. They make some decisions that are contrary to how I think the section should be run — but so what? It’s not my baby anymore, and what I think about their rules doesn’t really matter. I appreciate Mike coming into this space and defending his decision to run the column, and standing up for his writer; that’s obviously a sign of an excellent, loyal editor. I will probably continue to take issue with many of the editorial decisions, but that’s nothing new — when I was editor, I got weekly letters saying that I should be fired, that I was anti-American, and that fondly nicknamed me the “Princess of Propaganda.” The editor before me — Shankar, who occassionally comments here — was also criticized and told that he should be fired, because he’s a black-hearted conservative, a war-monger and a baby-eating fascist (all of which are true, by the way :-) ).
Bottom line: When you run and/or write for a newspaper, especially as an opinion columnist, you are a lightning rod for criticism. I took my criticism too far in attacking the entire paper, and for that I apologize. But I continue to stand by everything I wrote after that second paragraph. I hope now that I’ve clarified things, we can discuss what Miller wrote, as opposed to getting hung up on whether or not I hate WSN. And besides, we all know that the New York Post is the most depressing publication on the planet.
I’m torn between wanting to say something like “I don’t think you need to issue a mea culpa” and not wanting to contradict a statement you obviously thought you needed to make. So, for what it’s worth, even if your criticism of this paper was overstated, everything I’ve heard about the current administration at NYU suggests that they’re importing the most ruthless corporate logic into the university, and I think it makes sense that you would criticize the paper for being increasingly obsequious towards the administration (in fact, I think you clearly had right on your side in doing so [although, granted, my knowledge of the situation at NYU is very limited]).
As for criticisms of you, I don’t know what you wrote about Ashcroft, but if a letter-writer felt obliged to tell you that Ashcroft does not believe himself to be Jesus Christ, it must have been good.
How much more do you plan to discuss it??
Those letters are priceless.
“Drive-through abortions?”
The college-republicans only let their animosity towards the left show through at thier meetings?
And who knew that there were no lefties in either of the World Trade towers, axs passengers on the planes or on any of the fire companies?
Typical liberal; a flip-flopper.
Just kidding.
Willingness to admit one’s mistakes is an admirable trait. I wish it was more common. Bravo.
*ominous chords*
That is an extraordinarily honest post. I respect you all the more for having written it.
Hey, it’s just a student newspaper. People who don’t learn the lessons they received at age 20… well, they go on to work for regular newspapers.
Until it stops amusing us to do so. You’ve had your forum with thousands of readers, we now have ours. And considering the laws of this nation and of the Internet, we can (not necessarily will) talk about it until the clubbers come home.
Or do I sense a frisson of shame in that comment?
Even more depressing than the Post is Fox News and now Fox.
>>>everything I’ve heard about the current administration at NYU suggests that they’re importing the most ruthless corporate logic into the university, and I think it makes sense that you would criticize the paper for being increasingly obsequious towards the administration (in fact, I think you clearly had right on your side in doing so [although, granted, my knowledge of the situation at NYU is very limited]).>>
Even since ‘my day,’ NYU always seemed very corporate, when John Brademas (sp?) was running it. It was also a drag for scheduling; I believe it was the last school to computerize, or at least it felt that way!
there is never any reason to apologize about the horrible quality of a lackluster student paper. especially when it deems shlock like miller to be appropriate “opinion” journalism. then again, i guess he really is just writing about his girlfriend.
WSN has always been horrible… I was a student at NYU (1969 to 1975) and a typist at the Courant (1974 -1979). It began getting that corporate ambience back then; its administration has always been high-handed and arrogant.
Well, that criticism holds. I do think that the editorial staff should be harder on the administration (example of what I’m talking about here). I just don’t think that I should have called them one of the most depressing publications on the planet.
Until some of the criticism sticks?
Aw, man. Now that I’m in college away from home I kinda miss the Post. It’s so bad it goes right past bad into good and then just dives straight into bad again.
That said their film reviews are usually decent, as long as you remember that they only actually like movies they gave 3 1/2 or 4 stars (weirdly, 3 stars means they didn’t actually like it very much).
Also: kudos for this post.
Until the dime bags in our backpacks run out?
Seriously, that reply from the College Republicans…oh, lawsy. It’s beautiful because the biggest cokeheads I know are conservatives….Figures, though. Coke makes ya mean.
I really appreciate this post. I’m glad that you read WSN, and if you ever have advice, feel free to email Eric or myself.
As for that staff editorial – and I’m only commenting on it because I’ve heard the criticism before – I think we were defending the NYU student body as much as the administration.
The neighborhood is pretty hostile towards NYU students now:
I actually saw another student die on the floor of Bobst library my first week of college. I’ve found things like this incredibly disrespectful to the NYU community. But the staff editorial doesn’t directly address that quote, just that attitude in the neighborhood, and you’re right, we’ve been trying to be more critical of the administration.
Still, the best fuck up in a student newspaper evah belongs to my alma mater.
All I can remember about our college paper was the annual “Meet the AP Libel Manual” edition, otherwise known as the April Fools’ issue. We had a new editorial staff every year because the whole board either resigned or were sacked on April 2nd.
Oddly enough, people in the neighborhood think that college students barfing on their sidewalks is incredibly disrespectful to the community.
Unless you bring a video camera and play it back for friends with a hot soundtrack. Then it’s kind of funny.
Well, some people just can’t get back to their houses fast enough, and sometimes the PBR is just really really reasonably priced, you BARF NAZI.
No one owns the sidewalks. They’re God’s sidewalks.
What follows has little to do with that quote. The “Quote That Line” party was fun, everyone was there, it was at “the club” and I haven’t gotten laid yet so I won’t leave.
NYU has become a bad neighbor and it’s not because of the behavior of it’s students. Students aren’t getting around zoning laws and building twenty-story dorms. The University is. Now, when students provide intellectual cover for their schools’ bad behavior, as the NYU rag’s editorial page has, they deny the fact that people who are going to be in the EVill for more than four years have a legitimate voice, capable of raising legitimate criticism. Defending NYU’s pursuit of a different set of rules for them and other property holders in their neighborhood is intellectually lazy and necessarily dishonest. If Jill and others want to take a crack at the school’s paper for that, more power to them.
On a side note, as a late participant in this kerfuffle, has any bothered to raise the various issues of privilege at play here with our intrepid young journalist?
Students aren’t tearing down the Edgar Allan Poe house, either.
WHAT.
Students aren’t tearing down the Edgar Allan Poe house, either. >>>
It used to be a fraternity house, which had some of the better parties because it had a courtyard for bands. Then the law school bought it up.
Wow, late to the party on this one. In fact, while most of the original post was kicking off, I was heading down to hear Pete Tong DJ at the Whiskey.
I have no clue how an article about how one guy doesn’t like clubbing (and doesn’t seem to understand how it works, either) could cause such a stir. Except that it was so brazenly misogynistic, of course. Has he ever even met a girl who likes clubbing? And, like, talked to her? I am a huge clubber- in fact I am something of a club snob- and clearly this dude just needs to stop going to meat markets.
Anyways student newspapers are usually pretty irrelevant. My uni’s newspaper was pretty amateurish and pointless and it seems others aren’t that different.
He needs to stop going to meat markets and pretending he’s vegan.
Just a quick, belated note:
You are not an asshole. You don’t need to apologize. Nevertheless, this was a nice, good-hearted, sincere follow-up. Kudos.