lxxxii
2.7.08
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published on 10/28/05
Letter to the Editor | MICA addresses overthrow.com
It has come to my attention that a heavily trafficked Neo-Nazi website has published an article on the recent controversy surrounding The Imperialist. This article, and the website as a whole, were disgusting and literally nauseating. As president of Vassar’s Moderate Independent Conservative Alliance (MICA), I can assure you the views expressed on this website and in this article in no way reflect the views of any MICA member, nor has any MICA member contributed to alerting this website of this issue in any way, shape, or form.
The article was disgusting, opprobrious, and quite possibly the most offensive thing I have ever read, as it not only reflected poorly on Vassar College, but also projected this horrific, distorted view into the world. Despite our differences in this recent controversy, it is important that the campus as a whole align itself against these defamations and present a united front to the outside world that says that these ideas and words do not emanate from this campus, nor does any Vassar student wish to support these words. This sort of publicity reflects poorly on all of us, and it must be rebutted.
--Matthew Ambrose ‘07, MICA President
*Originally published Web Only on 10.14.05, the letter was published in the 10.28.05 print edition
Comments posted do not represent the opinions of The Miscellany News, its staff, or Vassar College. The Miscellany News reserves the right to withhold or remove comments which contain false information, are inappropriate or irrelevant to the article printed above, or are otherwise objectionable.
Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.
Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.
Posted by victor ray
Although I agree that this is deplorable speech, and must be rebutted (we have been charging this from the inception of the controversy) I ask how you can claim that the speech in no way began on campus. When the editor in chief was deciding to include the portrait of an S.S. soldier liberating Vassar's campus, or the Nazi eagle in neo-conservative dress, was the editor really so daft as to believe that these images that have historically been used to KILL PEOPLE would not resonate with groups that advocate exactly that? There is also the unfortunate fact that the terminology used in the overthrow.com article ("zoological") did originate on this campus, and Bill White, the author, was in no way equivocal about its meaning; he realized immediately that it referred to "lower animals" rather than the more benign "zoo" (wikipedia notwithstanding).
Mr. Ambrose: at this juncture, if you really want to prove that these ideas are not endorsed by your group, disown association with the Imperialist, especially since its production was not sanctioned by your group's constitution at the time it was printed and disseminated. You did not write the articles in question, do not agree with the more contentious views presented in the "Race and Freedom" article, claim to be anti-racist, yet find yourself defending all of these viewpoints (which are supported by the second most widely read hate site on the web). This must be a disturbing position to find oneself in. Mr. Ambrose, given that you and I have been polar opposites during most of this debate, I will say that I thank you for writing this letter, and I agree with most of it. I hope that you will continue to examine your position on racist speech, as this situation has forced me to question mine.
Sincerely,
Victor Ray '07
Posted on October 17, 2005 09:48 AM
Posted by Don Conroy
I must agree. I was not offended by what I read in The Imperialist, but I was appalled by what I read on that disgusting website. I wonder if it would be possible to force the owners of that website to remove any mention of specific student names? There should be some sort of legal action that the College could threaten in the defense of its students...
At any rate, if anyone wants to see some fair, intelligent, and professional articles about MICA, they can check out
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/schools/1155
Posted on October 27, 2005 07:55 PM