Conservative Paper Pressured into Suspending Publication
Anthony Gockowski, Campus Reform, March 21, 2018
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The anonymous paper, called Excalibur, was launched in February by a group of professors as a means to articulate “conservative stances boldy, extensively, and without fear of editorial filter,” according to a copy of the print edition obtained by Campus Reform.
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In particular, Excalibur took aim at campus social justice movements, arguing that “a conservative-libertarian approach to race relations is most respectful of racial minorities and holds out the most promise for long term racial justice in this country.”
The publication immediately sparked controversy, with students and alumni objecting to both the authors’ anonymity as well as their stances on current issues
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“Rather, this paper has served to deepen fault lines on campus, strike fear in some students, and evoke anger among some parents, students, faculty, and alum,” it added.
According to Inside Higher Ed, University President Paul Lowell Haines expressed similar disdain for the publication, saying the “anonymous and suspect distribution of the publication sowed discord and distrust, hurting members of our community.”
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The student newspaper The Echo also joined in the discussion, condemning Excalibur for remaining anonymous.
“Anonymity does not provide adequate means of contact. This, in turn, robs those with counter insight the space to meet with the writer and voice their thoughts,” The Echo’s Editorial Board wrote.
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Director of Media Relations James Garringer confirmed to Campus Reform that “while our administration did not specifically tell the writers of Excalibur/Res Publica to take their website down, they did make their concerns about the direction of the comments known to them,” referring to the comments section on Excalibur’s website.
“They took the site down on a temporary basis and plan to go live again in the days/weeks to come,” he added.
[Editor’s Note: The original article includes screenshots of the first issue of Excalibur. Tom Woods has an excellent comment on this matter at here.]
