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CCNY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER   OCTOBER 2000 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1

Letters to the Editor

Alternative Alternative?

I think the paper should have a dissident voice. One that doesn’t exactly agree with everything that is said in the paper every edition. A devil’s advocate, if you will.

For instance, in your May 2000 issue I felt the article by Hank Williams on the last page regarding the City student who was arrested for fare evasion was silly. He was caught and he got what he deserved. He wasn’t beaten. He was treated like any other criminal, which is what he was.

And as far as the lead story about CTN’s invasion of City airwaves, you kept saying “commercial-laced broadcasting” like it was a bad thing.

Like it was something that we’re not used to.

That’s basically what I’m saying. You guys should feature someone with an opinion outside of the general belief of the paper. One that makes the periodical less homogenous and whiny and more diverse and open to students with more conservative views.

Just a suggestion. Keep up the good work.

—Lamont Smith
Sophomore, Film and Video

Update: Vicious turnstile-jumper Simen Saetre has paid his debt to society and done his day of community service—he cleaned a subway station. He has also spent more time in jail than the killers of Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Malcolm Ferguson, and Gidone Busch combined. Justice served?

As far as the political slant of the paper goes, we’re up front about our politics, which is more than one can say about the New York Times, for example. There are also two other newspapers on campus, both of which tend to be more mainstream than we are. You’re looking for an alternative voice in The Messenger, but we produce the newspaper as an alternative voice in and of itself. We certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with all of our views, but if you want to read or write different viewpoints than appear here, we would suggest checking out the other newspapers on campus. CCNY’s publications all need support.

—Editors

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